Steps
by MelyBelle44
Summary: It takes a village to help Dr Sheldon Cooper find his way through the world of romance.
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first foray into Fan Fiction writing. I am an avid reader, though, and you guys all inspire me! I get so many great ideas, and I just decided, I need to get them all typed out. So...here we go!_

* * *

"Raj?"

The dark-skinned man across from him looked up from his lunch tray. "Yes, Sheldon?"

Their friends had not yet arrived to eat lunch. "Raj, I would like to speak to you about something very personal. However, should Howard and Leonard arrive before we can finish our conversation, perhaps we could meet somewhere more private?"

"Sure, Sheldon," Raj responded. "Is it something serious?"

"Well, that depends," Sheldon replied in his pensive manner that only he could perfect. "Do you mean fatal illness serious or Heath Ledger-as-the-Joker-in-The Dark Knight serious?"

Raj began to get exasperated. "Never mind, why don't you just tell me what's going on?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Sheldon saw Howard meandering through the lunch line. "Oh, well, here comes Howard," he nodded. "Perhaps you could visit my office toward the end of the day if you get your work done early? You can tell the fellas you are giving me a ride home. That will give us some time to speak."

Raj sighed. "That's fine, Sheldon. I'll be there."

* * *

Sheldon considered Raj to be one of his closest friends. While Leonard was still his "Best Friend," it seemed to be in name only. Since he started working with Raj, he saw the shy Indian in a whole new light.

When looking back upon their friendship, he remembered that Raj and he agreed far more often than they disagreed. Raj was much more patient with him and all his eccentricities than the other two men. He was certainly less sarcastic and mean than the others could be. Yes, some people are your friends and some people are kindred spirits. Dr. Koothrappali was a little bit of both.

A knock came at the door. Sheldon looked up at the clock and saw it was 4:35. "Come in," he called.

Raj peeked his head inside. He was holding his jacket and laptop bag. "You done for the day?"

Sheldon said nothing, but clicked his mouse and typed in the computer. Raj heard the sound signaling that Sheldon's computer was shutting down. "I am now," Sheldon smiled. "Have a seat, please."

As Raj sat down across the desk, Sheldon got up and walked around the desk to join Raj in the other chair. While it certainly did not matter who sat where, for Sheldon it was symbolic. "I've not asked you here as a boss or a colleague. I wish to speak to you as a friend."

"Now, we all know of your affinity for Sex and the City, musicals, and cheesy romance novels…" Sheldon began.

"I wouldn't say it is an affinity so much as an escape from reality, but…"

"Raj, Raj, Raj, it is your effeminate nature that makes you the perfect candidate to help me with my situation."

Raj seemed slightly offended and stood to leave. "Well, Sheldon, if you need a woman's opinion, you have a sister, a mother, and Meemaw. You also have three female acquaintances. Might I also suggest you peruse the Oprah forums for advice?"

"No wait," Sheldon said with urgency. "The truth is, I consider you one of my closest friends. I find that my respect for you has only grown over the years. I understand you more than I have ever been able to relate to my roommate. I came to you because, well, I trust you."

Raj turned around and returned to his seat. He couldn't help but be touched by Sheldon's sincerity.

"You see," the brainy physicist started. "I find myself wanting to pursue a relationship with a young lady."

"Penny," Raj stated knowingly.

Sheldon neither confirmed nor denied. "I would like to have a traditional relationship. No contracts, no plans, just a normal courtship. I've been thinking about it for a while, but this girl…"

"Penny."

"This girl is so different from me. Different from Amy. And, I am far different from her previous suitors, I'm sure. While I may be able to convince her," Sheldon lowered his voice and mumbled, "or trick her" His eyes looked up meekly at Raj. "to join me on a date, I only have one shot with this woman. One shot to prove to her that we would be a good pair."

"Well Sheldon…" Raj began to reply.

Sheldon held up his hands to shush him. "The thing is, I have known her for quite some time now. I don't know when these feelings started bubbling up or where my compulsion has come from. It was like, one day, they were just there, from out of nowhere. I fear what may happen if I give it a try and it fails. I care very deeply about this woman."

"Penny," Raj said in a tone different from the first two times. This tone was laced with earnestness and reassurance.

Sheldon could hardly speak. He had to diffuse the weight of the conversation. "Actually, Raj, I am speaking of Leslie Winkle."

Raj's jaw dropped and he could do nothing but stare at his lanky comrade with utter astonishment.

"Bazinga!" Sheldon let out with a giddy grin. Raj let out a sigh he didn't realize he was holding. The air turned serious once more. Sheldon knew he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. His eyes shifted around until they locked on the brown eyes across from him. Sheldon nodded so slightly if Raj hadn't been so focused, he would have missed it. Their gazes steadily held each other for several more seconds. A silent understanding was forged in that moment.

After a prolonged silence, Raj spoke. "Did I ever tell you about my first date? It was with this girl, Marya Nakul…" Raj continued on for several more minutes talking about first crushes, first dates, and previous girlfriends. Sheldon had never heard Raj speak so much about women before. It must have been cathartic to get it all out in the open. But, Sheldon knew deep down, that his friend was just trying to calm him down and make him feel comfortable with the conversation. Raj truly got him. Whereas other people may have forced their hand, trying to get Sheldon to open up to them and then given up when he clammed up, Rajesh knew exactly how to ease his mind.

The two men noticed that the lights in the hallway went dark. People were starting to go home. It was 5:25 by the time they decided to pack up and head for the door.

* * *

Walking through the parking lot, Sheldon surprised Raj by blurting out, "I had a girlfriend back in Texas, you know."

"No, I didn't."

"Well, it was when I was 16 or so. We only saw each other during the summer or holidays or when I was on break from school. It was all very innocent. Trips to the arcade, soda fountain, church…" Sheldon smiled out of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh I bet Mary Cooper just loved that. And you guys didn't end up hitched how?"

Sheldon's Texas drawl slipped out. "Mary Cooper did try to get us hitched. But, Hannah- Hannah was her name- was going off to college herself. She wanted the 'true college experience.'" Sheldon made air quotes. "We continued to keep in touch somewhat, and my mother always believed that at the end of it all, we'd end up together. But, you know how it is, when people go off to college."

"She met someone else?"

"No."

"She started swinging for the other team? That happened to Marya."

"No. She died," Sheldon said simply.

"Oh, dude…how?"

"She fell into the college scene. Parties and what not. After one night of partying a little too hard, she passed out. Alcohol poisoning. They tried to get someone there to get her stomach pumped, but it was too late."

"That's terrible. I bet that killed you."

"It didn't."

"Huh?"

"It didn't. I didn't feel anything at all. I was not upset or hurt or sad. I didn't cry. I knew right at that moment that if I could not force myself to have feelings for this girl who just died, that I would never have romantic feelings for anyone. I accepted it. Moved on."

They reached Raj's car. He unlocked it, and they both settled into their seats, strapping on their seat belts diligently.

"I've never felt a romantic connection to anyone. Not even Amy. I didn't care. My love has always been science; you know that."

Raj nodded. "Sooooo…why are we here?"

"Ah, _quite_ the philosopher, Dr. Koothrappali. Well it depends from what religious or ethnic context you are analyzing the question. My mother's answer to that would be to serve others."

"No, Sheldon. Not why are we _all_ here. Why are we, you and me, here? If you are incapable of a romantic connection, why did you need my advice?"

"Well as it turns out, my mother's God was looking over me." It was times like these that Raj wondered about Sheldon's faith. While he had always proclaimed himself agnostic, and always dismissed his mother's Christianity as a farce, there were some moments that made Raj wonder. This was one of them. "It wasn't that I was incapable of a romantic connection. It was that He wanted me prepared so that when I met the One at the proper moment, I would know."

"The One?"

"She's the One."

"But how can you know? You've never dated or kissed her or anything."

"I just know," Sheldon replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Trust me. I wish there was some sort of formula that could help me calculate this feeling. But….I just know. Well, that is to say, I know she is _my_ One. I don't know what I am to her. But, if I am ever to be in a relationship, this is the girl with whom it will be. And, if she is not interested, well, no shame in being a bachelor."

"Oh, come on, Sheldon, don't say that," Raj attempted to reason. "There are plenty of…"

Sheldon interrupted. "She's it."

Once again, Raj let out a long breath. "So?"

"Because of your knowledge of chick flicks, I felt that you could help me plan the perfect date. Nothing too sappy, of course. But, I want it to be enough of an effort that she takes me seriously. One shot, remember?"

"Right, well, yeah, I can help."

"Can you help to actually _get_ her on the date with me?" Sheldon asked sheepishly.

"No," Raj's accent was thick. "I think that's something you have to figure out yourself."

"I've asked her out before. She said no."

Raj nearly swerved into oncoming traffic out of shock. "You did what?!"

"She said no; she thought I was trying to make Amy jealous. Which…I kind of was. It wasn't that I wanted to go out on dates with Amy. I was possessive. I just didn't want Amy going out with anyone else. A small part of me thought in the back of my head that if me and the girl went out, even as a ruse, that maybe she would fall for me."

"And Penny said no?"

"_The woman in question_," Sheldon emphasized, "said no. She saw right through me. She also went to great lengths to assure me that she did not have feelings for me."

"Then why are you going to try again?"

"Because, she and I are right for one another, regardless of what she said. I think she will realize in time that I am exactly what she needs in her life. And, I care for her so deeply, that she even rivals Meemaw. I have to give it one more shot."

Raj slowed down and pulled into a parking spot next to the apartment complex. "I can't just come out and say, 'Will you go on a date with me?' She won't take me seriously."

"Hmmmm," Raj pondered. "I actually have an idea. But, before I help you, you must do one thing."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Say it."

"Excuse me?" Sheldon seemed confused.

"You have to say it."

"Please? Thank you? Open sesame?" Sheldon was still perplexed.

"No, Sheldon. Her name."

Sheldon stiffened and stared straight ahead. "You know who. Why do I have to say it?"

Raj reached over and put a comforting hand on Sheldon's shoulder. "Listen, buddy, I know it's scary. Saying it out loud…it makes it real. That scares you. And that's okay. But, you need to be brave for her."

Sheldon looked up. "Okay, well let's get started planning the perfect romantic evening ….for Penny."

Raj smiled. "Let's."


	2. Chapter 2

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

Sheldon knew that Penny was off on Monday evenings. He actually took the day off. He wanted to speak to her in person, and knew better than to wake her up before 11 am. His work could wait until tomorrow, and Raj offered to handle any emergencies that could come up, which, in the world of physics, there are very few emergencies. Dr. Gablehauser was happy to give him the day off. If Sheldon heard right, that "Take all the time you need, son" was said with a little too much enthusiasm.

Penny opened the door with a bright smile on her face. She seemed well rested. She was wearing a casual pair of jeans and a teal t-shirt. Her hair fell around her face in loose curls. She had never looked more beautiful to him. He would remember this moment forever. And, hopefully, in a positive way.

"Hey Sheldon! Why aren't you at work?" she motioned for him to come in.

"Well, I have a lot of personal days racked up and not much work to do, so I thought it was a good day to catch up on things around the apartment." It wasn't _really_ a lie, so he was able to deliver his explanation with a straight face.

"Do you want to sit down?" she motioned to the sitting area.

"Oh no, that's not necessary. I won't be here long."

"You could explain why you are even here _at all_." Penny narrows her eyes at Sheldon.

She was not going to make this easy on him. Sheldon swallowed nervously. "Well, Penny, I was wondering if you could give me a ride this afternoon to Stuart's store."

Penny didn't really _want_ to, but she could not think of any good reason to say no. "Sure, I don't think that will be a problem. What time?"

"I will come by at 5:30. Is that okay?" He walked back to the still open door and stepped out into the hall.

"No problem."

"And Penny?" he added. "I would like to treat you to dinner tonight, if that would be okay. As a thank you for all the times you have driven me around."

Penny smiled and tilted her head. "Aw, Sheldon, that's nice of you, but you treat me to dinner all the time. Plus, what about the guys?"

He had anticipated this reaction. Actually, Raj had. He had thought of everything. "Well, actually Raj, Leonard, and Howard will be staying late at the university. They told me to go ahead and eat." This, too, was not a lie. Raj had managed to schedule a department-wide web conference between Caltech and the physics department at the University of Louisville. Raj hailed it as a chance to bounce ideas back and forth.

"Yeah, a physics thing. Howard tagged along just for 'funsies,'" Sheldon spat out, while rolling his eyes.

"Really? And Dr. Sheldon Cooper didn't want to go to a fun physics _thing_?"

"Well, it's not really about physics. It's more a fraternal thing. Socialization amongst our peers."

"International magical co-operation. To make friends," Penny said in her best British accent.

"Ah, very good Penny," Sheldon gave a half-smile. "Well, it's not international. But, yes, that is the general point." He disliked the turn the conversation had taken. The further they deviated from his planned script, the more a chance he would mess something up.

"Anyway!" he said a bit too loudly. Penny jumped. He didn't know how to breach the next subject. He knew it would come out wrong. He also knew there was a chance it would have the reverse result and that she would do the exact opposite of what he asked. But, he had to do it. "Penny, I know that it is in your nature to…how do the urban youth put it?" He air quoted. "Slum it? Anyway, since I _am_ going to treat you to dinner, do you think you could make yourself presentable this evening?"

Penny glared at him and pressed a finger to his chest. "You are lucky that I have some clothes in my closet with tags still on them I've been dying for an excuse to wear." She shut the door.

For once, Sheldon was thankful for Penny's impulsive, albeit sometimes irresponsible shopping habits.

* * *

Sheldon called the restaurant to make reservations. He also wanted to speak to the hostess, chef, and manager. He thought it would be better to give his expectations over the phone, rather than wait to do it in person. He knew his obsessive demands may annoy or embarrass Penny.

He wanted to verify that they had non-alcoholic champagne available. They did, so he asked that they have a bottle ready at the table when they arrive. He also requested that the hostess or their wait staff not hold the chair out for his date. He wanted to impress her with his chivalry. He asked for the quietest table they had available. For himself, he rattled off some dishes he thought he may be interested in, to see how they were prepared.

He was not demanding. He was patient and calm. He wanted the staff to treat them like royalty, and he knew they would likely be more receptive to kindness than his usual demeanor. He had informed the hostess that it was his first date with his lovely neighbor, so he just wanted to make sure everything was perfect. The hostess and subsequent staff he spoke to were very enamored with his enthusiasm.

* * *

Around 5, Sheldon's nerves started kicking in. He had a whole swarm of butterflies in his stomach. More than once, he thought he was going to have to go to the bathroom and throw up. At one point, he was ready to cancel altogether. He closed his eyes and started singing the Elements Song silently to himself. After the twelfth time through, Sheldon felt calm.

He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and stood. He grabbed a nice black coat, and slung it over his arm. He knew it was mild out, but was hoping there would be a reason for it later. He grabbed his wallet and keys, locked the door behind him and walked up to Penny's door.

He took several deep breaths. He probably stood there for 5 minutes before he got up the courage to knock.

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

When Penny opened the door, she was still attaching a dangly gold earring to her ear. When he dreamed up this night, he didn't even come close to anticipating how beautiful she would look. She was wearing a dark magenta knee length dress that was made of some sort of material that flowed ethereally around her. The neckline of the dress was modest, but lined with embellishments that sparkled when the light hit it just so. While the dress was sleeveless, it covered from the nape of her neck to the edge of her upper arm. He thought she looked like Jackie Kennedy. So classy. She had adorned her arm with bracelets. He looked down and saw that she was not wearing heels but rather very pretty strappy flat sandals. He was thankful for this, as he knew they were going to be walking at least a little bit. Her hair was still a little wet, which gave it the illusion of being darker. It was twisted into a side braid on her left side. Above her right temple was a solitary gold Penny Blossom.

Sheldon sucked in his breath, as he was trying to put together the right words to say to her.

"Hey, Shel-" Penny froze when she saw him. "Sheldon! What happened to presentable?! You gave me a hard time, and you look like you do every single day!"

It was true, for the most part. He was wearing a pair of nice black trousers and black dress shoes. However, on top, he had a gray thermal long sleeve shirt underneath a solid red t-shirt. He could hardly contain his grin, but he held it in.

"Well, Penny, these _are_ dress pants, and I consider myself to be more than presentable every day." He shrugged, ready for a scathing retort.

She just rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse. "Oh! I forgot to grab my sweater, just a sec!" She turned to go back to the bedroom.

"Wait, Penny!" Sheldon yelped, as she turned back to him. "Um, the weather is actually rather nice outside, so I don't think a sweater will be required." He then pointed to his watch. "Plus, it is 5:35. We are already running behind. We need to go now!" he screeched. He hoped she did not notice the coat in his hand.

"Alright, alright!" Penny once again rolled her eyes and stepped out the door, locking it behind her.

* * *

The conversation between her apartment and the comic book store was as banal as usual. It felt like any ordinary day. Penny pulled up to the comic book store and pulled into a spot on the street right by the entrance.

Sheldon unbuckled his safety belt and grabbed his belongings. Penny turned off the car and unbuckled herself as well. "Penny, Penny," Sheldon said. "This is going to be very quick. You really don't need to accompany me inside. Just stay here. I'll be right back."

Penny certainly did not argue. She knew she would be ogled if she went in with him, and as long as he was going to be quick, she could wait.

* * *

Sheldon marched into Stuart's shop, and saw the owner standing at the counter, as usual. Stuart gave him a nod and a smile, as Sheldon disappeared into the stock room. He proceeded to take his red shirt off and grabbed the shirt that was on the hanger on the back of the door. It was gray with subtle stripes, the same one he wore the day he was on NPR. He buttoned it up, but left the top button undone. He tucked the shirt in and smoothed it out. He put his coat on, so he didn't have to keep carrying it around.

There were no mirrors in the stock room, so he stepped back into the store to get Stuart's attention. "Well?"

Stuart stepped up and straightened up some spots in the shirt that were still crooked. "Do you remember when I was dating Penny?"

Sheldon thought this was an odd question, and also, never considered them to be "dating." But, he was very grateful to Stuart for helping him, so he went along with it. "I do."

"You came over at the end of one of our dates. To argue about Robin. Do you remember that?"

"I do."

"Was that on purpose? Were you interrupting our date intentionally?"

Sheldon's sapphire eyes pierced Stuart's, and he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Absolutely not. I am not Leonard. I apologize for any inadvertent interruption I caused. Of all the men I've seen Penny with over the years, I consider you to be one of her more worthy suitors. You would have treated her with respect and made her laugh." He looked around quickly. "And, with that, I must go, before she comes in here looking for me."

"Go get 'em, buddy," Stuart encouraged.

He was ready. Except for one more thing…

* * *

Sheldon sneaked to the fire exit in the back of the store. He wanted to surprise Penny and knew she would be looking for him to come out the front. He just hoped he could sneak out the door, along the sidewalk, and between cars without her seeing him in her rear view mirrors. At least he didn't have to worry about the passenger side mirror.

There was a group of kids walking down the sidewalk, so he ducked down and walked right behind them over to the line of cars on the street. He crouched down between two cars that were three and four cars behind Penny respectively. Staying low to the ground, he moved along the passenger side of the three vehicles between him and Penny's car. Once he got to Penny's vehicle, he had to figure out how to get over to the other side of the car without her seeing him.

He looked up and saw Stuart peeking out the window at him. He waved half-heartedly. He felt guilt wash over him, as he knew he had been hard on Stuart when Howard had gone up into space. He should have been more welcoming. He looked up again, and Stuart was coming out toward Penny's car. Stuart spared a quick glance to Sheldon but strode right up to Penny's car and knocked on the passenger side window.

Sheldon heard the window being rolled down.

"Hey Stuart!" Penny said sweetly.

"Hey Penny! I saw you sitting out here and thought I would come say hi. How are you doing?"

With each word, Sheldon was able to scoot over to the driver's side of the car. With Penny's attention on Stuart, she didn't notice Sheldon standing behind her.

"I'm doing well actually. Just waiting for Sheldon. Do you know if he's about done?"

"Actually…" Stuart hesitated. "He's ready." Sheldon was touched by the double meaning of Stuart's statement.

Penny was still looking out the right hand side of her car when Stuart brought his eyes upward and nodded across the vehicle. With that, Stuart returned quietly to his store.

Penny seemed confused by what just happened. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she sensed a figure. With her mouth still open in bewilderment, she slowly looked to her left, and then up. "What?" was the only word she could choke out, as she saw Sheldon Cooper standing next to her door looking very handsome, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Sheldon reached down and pulled the door open and took a deep breath. "Penny, these are for you," he said shyly.

"They're beautiful," she smiled genuinely. "As soon as we get home, I will put them in water. She set the bouquet down on the passenger seat.

Sheldon held out his hand and helped her out of the car. As soon as she was upright, he let her go. He was intent on being a perfect gentleman. She locked her car, and they walked over to the sidewalk and stood for a minute.

He could see her trying to figure things out in her head, so he spoke before she could. "The restaurant that I picked is not far from here. Just around the corner and up a couple of blocks," he pointed. "I thought we could walk. It is called Devareoux's. Have you been?"

They started to walk, side by side. "I haven't," she replied. "You?"

"Nope."

"How did you hear of it?"

"It was actually suggested to me by Facebook, as some of my Facebook friends like the establishment." he emphasized the word like, to indicate the Facebook action.

This was another half-truth. The truth was it came recommended to him by Raj, and Raj's taste is impeccable. And, well, Raj was a friend on Facebook, so technically, that was kind of true. Sheldon had intended to go to Siam Palace. Sure, they had Thai every Monday, but they usually never ate there, so it _would_ have been different. Raj quickly vetoed this suggestion. Penny needed to know that Sheldon was willing to abandon his meticulous routine to impress her. Sheldon was initially not receptive to this. He did not want to change his life around.

_Sheldon, Penny will not try to change you. But, it won't hurt to do something different every once in a while. She needs to know she is not routine. She is special. Take her someplace special. _Raj's voice echoed in his memory.

"Well maybe this will be a new tradition for us." she suggested, followed quickly by, "I mean, for all of us, the whole group, not just _us_. Sorry, I don't know why I'm talking."

He smiled inwardly, but didn't say much. "Yes. Maybe."

"What kind of restaurant is it? A deli? Cajun?"

Sheldon knew exactly what kind of restaurant it was. Romantic. If you looked it up in the Yellow Pages or on Yelp, it was listed under "Romantic Restaurants."

"Well, I believe it serves traditional steakhouse fare. If anything, it has a French influence. I think it will be adequate."

"I'm sure it will be."

* * *

They continued to walk in silence. It was not an awkward silence, but a pleasant one, if such a thing exists.

After a short walk, they arrived at Devareoux's. It looked simple from the outside. "Well, here we go," Sheldon said unenthusiastically, his voice betraying the excitement that was going on inside his head.

Penny nodded, and Sheldon went for the door, holding it open for her. The lights in the restaurant were dimmed, but it didn't feel too dark. The tables looked nice, with floating candles inside centerpieces on each one, adding to the ambiance. The wait staff seemed professional, and the clientele were dressed to the nines. There was soft music being played from the speakers in the ceiling. It was just enough to create a nice atmosphere, but not overwhelming.

Sheldon and Penny went up to the hostess counter. "Good evening," Sheldon said, sounding almost _friendly_. Penny noticed the lack of condescension in his voice. "It's Cooper."

The hostess' name was Belinda, and she was a brunette that appeared about college-aged. "Ah, yes," she grinned. "Dr. Sheldon Cooper," Sheldon nodded. "and his lovely date." Penny blushed, but did not correct her.

"May I take your coat, Dr. Cooper?" Belinda offered. Sheldon took his coat off and handed it to her. "Oh and one more thing, sir, miss, we will need to confiscate your mobile phones."

Sheldon assumed this to be protocol, so he did not complain. "Oh?"

"Yes, sir. Our establishment has a strict 'No Cell' policy. We want you to be completely invested in and focused on…..your meal." As Penny was shuffling through her purse, Belinda looked up at Sheldon, winked, and gave him a thumbs up. Sheldon's cheeks went slightly pink.

"Very well," Sheldon said. "Mine was in my coat pocket." Penny finally found hers and handed it over.

"Let me show you to your table. Andres will be your server this evening. Please let him or me know if you need anything at all." They were guided to a circular table in the far corner of the restaurant. It was private, but did not seem to be stuffed uncomfortably into a small space.

Sheldon rushed over to the seat that was more open to the restaurant, knowing it would be easier for her to come and go if she needed to excuse herself. "Here, Penny. Let me." He pulled the chair out, and held it in place as she delicately sat down. He then walked around the table, and sat across from her.

"Wow," Penny gushed. "This place is _really_ nice. And look, champagne! It must be complementary for new customers, huh?" She pulled the champagne out of the bucket to look at it.

"Uh, yeah." Sheldon faltered. "Must be."

Penny was reading the label. "…alcohol removed champagne. Wait. How did they know that you…? Sheldon?" she eyed him curiously. "Did you have something to do with this?"

Sheldon tried to hide the blush on his cheeks behind the menu, studying it furiously. Penny reached out and gently pushed it down. "Sheldon?"

"Well, you drive me a lot of places, Penny," he breathed. "I thought it would be a nice gesture. And, I didn't want you to drink a whole bottle by yourself. We all know how you can be with alcohol in your system." He added in a biting tone. He couldn't help it. He knew it was a defense mechanism, but he just couldn't stop himself.

An olive-skinned gentleman with dark hair stepped up to the table. "Hello I am Andres. Welcome, welcome. May I pour you some champagne?" Sheldon nodded and Andres continued. "Our specials this evening include a seared Mahi Mahi salad and a 24 oz Porterhouse steak meal for two. It includes two baked potatoes and a half dozen escargot." Andres poured two flutes of non-alcoholic champagne. "Shall I give you a few moments?"

"Yes, please." Penny smiled.

"Soooooooo…" Penny began.

"Yes?"

"I don't suppose I can appeal to your inner Texan, and talk you into that steak meal? I mean, I know it is meant for couples, but it sounds really good!" Penny's emerald eyes flickered in the candlelight. Sheldon knew he was done.

"Well, Penny, as you know, because of my Texas roots, I do tend to avoid steaks. Everything _is_ bigger and better in Texas." Sheldon waggled his eyebrows at her. Penny snickered to herself, certain that he did not understand the double entendre he just committed. "I am not sure about the escargot, but, I would be happy to share the meal with you."

Penny clapped with joy. "Great! Is medium okay?"

Sheldon preferred his steak medium rare. "Yes, that will be fine," he agreed.

Andres came over and took their order. "One couples' special," he said out loud as he wrote it down. He then disappeared to the back.

"Penny I must apologize," Sheldon spoke quietly. "You really look quite becoming this evening. I should have said as much sooner."

"Wow. Thanks! You clean up pretty nicely yourself. Why exactly _are_ you cleaned up so nicely, Sheldon?"

Sheldon swallowed. "I wanted to make sure I fit in."

"So you _did_ know that we were coming someplace fancy? You wanted to fit in with all the posh folks?"

"No." Sheldon stopped. "I mean, yes, I was aware of their dress policy. I meant….I wanted to fit in. I knew I was going to be with the most beautiful woman in the restaurant. I was right."

"_Sheldon_," Penny whispered, noticing he was avoiding eye contact. "That was incredibly unexpected."

Sheldon frowned. He was hoping for sweet. Romantic. Charming.

"Actually, Penny," Sheldon cleared his throat nervously. "I wanted to speak to you in private. I thought this would be an appropriate establishment."

"Okay, we will definitely talk. But, I need to freshen up real quick. I will be right back, okay?" Penny stood to leave, and Sheldon stood as well.

Sheldon held his head in his hand and rubbed his temples. Why was this so hard? He started muttering under his breath the words he had prepared.

* * *

When Penny returned to the table, Sheldon stood again. His mother really did raise him right.

When she sat down, Sheldon decided he couldn't put it off anymore. "Penny, you make me a better person. You challenge me. And, I think I can be the same for you. I think we could be really great together, and I think we owe it to ourselves to see if there is anything between us," Sheldon said all in one breath.

"Sheldon, sweetie, we've known each other for several years. What makes you think there would be something between us after all this time?" Penny started to place her napkin in her lap, fiddling with it to avoid his gaze.

"Because I'm ready," Sheldon echoed Stuart's earlier statement. He then reached across the table, took his long fingers, and gently tilted her chin upward to get her to look at him. He lowered his voice. "And so are you."

Before Penny could speak, Andres arrived with their meal. The large platter had the steak in the center with a baked potato on each side. He set down a plate of escargot. "I certainly hope everything is to your liking sir, miss." Andres nodded to them respectively.

"Looks great. Thank you," Penny said kindly.

Penny spoke as if the previous conversation didn't even happen. "Wow, this looks and smells delicious." She reached over to cut the steak in half. Of course, she did not cut it completely in half, and pushed the larger portion towards Sheldon. "And really tender too!"

They each tried a bite of the steak and approved.

"So, you ready to try some escargot Sheldon?" Penny's eyes dances mischievously.

Penny grabbed the escargot plate and the small escargot fork. She dipped out a piece of escargot and swallowed it down. "Well?"

Sheldon looked conflicted. "Okay fine," he resigned. She passed the plate to him.

With his large hands and long fingers, he was having trouble using the small escargot fork. While his fingers were typically nimble, he was having trouble keeping his hands steady with all the nerves pulsing through him.

"Oh for Pete's sake," Penny shook her head and got up walking around the table to him. She took the fork from him. She places her hand on his back just below his neck and used her other hand to dip a piece of escargot out of the plate. She couldn't help but smile when she saw his eyes clinched shut. She wasn't sure if it was because he was afraid to try escargot or nervous about her being so close.

"Open," she instructed. Sheldon opened his mouth, and Penny slid the snails inside. "More?" she asked. He didn't open his eyes, but he nodded. She fed him two more pieces of escargot, and then returned to her seat.

"Good job sweetie. It's brave to try new things."

"Yes, it is," he replied to her intensely.

They continued with their meal in relative silence. Penny was impressed that Sheldon went the entire meal with no complaints. Sheldon was impressed that Penny finished her entire half of the meal. He had heard the stereotypes of women who were afraid to eat in front of their date and hoped Penny wasn't one of them.

Andres came to their table to drop off the check, but another man was with him. It was the chef. The chef held out his hand. "Dr. Cooper, was everything to your satisfaction? I do hope you had a nice meal."

Sheldon shook his hand and replied confidently, "I will defer to the lady," he gestured at Penny.

Penny was taken aback. "Yes, yes, this was a wonderful experience," she squinted at his chef's jacket, "Martin."

Chef Martin grinned down at Penny, "Well after speaking to Dr. Cooper this afternoon, I should hope so. For your one year anniversary, I insist that you return here as my personal guests. You will receive the VIP experience." Penny's eyes shot up to Sheldon's when she heard that he had spoken to the chef ahead of time.

"More VIP than _this_?" Penny asked.

"I insist," Chef Martin re-stated, then returned to the kitchen.

Sheldon didn't even look at the check, even though he knew approximately how much it would come to. He took a $100 bill out of his wallet and slipped it inside the black check holder. He didn't intend to keep the receipt. "Well, shall we?"

Penny looked like she was thinking about something. "Wait!" she half-shouted. She reached in and grabbed the customer's copy of the receipt and stuck it inside his shirt pocket. "Just in case," she shrugged.

Penny went to the restroom once more, and Sheldon retrieved their belongings from Belinda. "Good luck!" she whispered excitedly. When Penny emerged, they exited Devareoux's. Sheldon couldn't help but grin when he noticed a nip in the Pasadena night air.

* * *

They walked the same way they came, but at a much slower pace.

"Just in case what?" Sheldon asked suddenly.

Penny looked up at him, "What?"

"The receipt. Why might I need it again? I paid in cash. Tax was already applied."

Penny's voice was very small, but carried much significance. "Just in case, you know, we want to remember this night someday. A memento."

Sheldon waited until she was looking away, and a grin spread across his face. "Uh, Penny, again I must apologize. It seems to be much cooler out here than I anticipated. I guess you should have brought your sweater after all."

"I'll make it." Penny had her arms crossed in front of her, using her hands to warm her upper arms and shoulders. She continued walking for a few more steps, before she realized Sheldon was no longer next to her.

She looked around, and her eyes welled up, as she saw Sheldon standing right behind her with his coat off. He gingerly put his coat on her, and gave her shoulders a slight squeeze. Penny was frozen in place by this touching movement. He gently placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her to continue on; once she started to move, he went right back to her side.

Neither one said anything until they got back to her apartment. Not even, when one block from Stuart's comic book store, without looking down at all, their hands found each other's, fitting together like Mary Cooper's God designed them to be like that all along.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been 6 weeks since the evening at Devareoux's. They were slowly glowing closer, but not much about their relationship had changed.

Between him working days and her working most nights, it just didn't leave a whole lot of free time to be alone together. They still spent most nights with their friends, watching movies or playing video games.

Their demeanor around each other had softened, but only slightly. They still bickered, but her sarcasm was dialed back from biting to teasing. And, he still had that twinkle in his eye when he corrected her, but it was no longer condescension. Their friends were none the wiser, except for Raj and Stuart, who asked how things were going every so often, but did not push. They were good friends.

There had been one Anything-Can-Happen Thursday during that time. Penny had surprised Sheldon by taking him into the city to a murder mystery dinner, held on an actual train. She didn't think she would be able to wipe that silly grin of his face for days!

However, for the most part, their interactions were much the same. They talked about their lives growing up. She made him spaghetti and hot dogs a couple of times. They did laundry together. Things just felt different.

* * *

Sheldon was finishing up a paper on the discovery of the Higgs Boson Particle and how it affected Caltech directly. Once he saved the file and shut the laptop, he started to think.

Once again, he found himself needing the guidance of another human being in regards to his relationship with Penny. While he appreciated all Raj had done for him, he just didn't think Raj was the best person to ask in this instance.

He thought of all the people he knew, and he knew of only one person that would be able to help.

* * *

"Leonard?" Sheldon spoke when Leonard arrived home from picking up groceries.

"Yes?" Leonard asked, as he set the bag down on the island.

"I need some advice," Sheldon said, crossing over to the couch and sitting in his spot.

"Sure, of course!" Leonard replied, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He seemed genuinely surprised and happy that Sheldon would confide in him. After putting away the refrigerated items, Leonard joined Sheldon, sitting in his chair.

"As you know, it has been a few months since Amy and I terminated our relationship agreement." Leonard nodded. "I've started seeing someone else. But, don't worry. Amy and I had an amiable separation, and I don't think she will be upset by the news." Sheldon added the last part, because he was hoping it would distract Leonard from asking too many questions about his new dating partner.

"Oh yeah? Well, good for you! When you say seeing, do you mean…" Leonard drew out.

"We are taking things slow. We've not labeled our relationship. We are just getting to know each other, on a more personal level," Sheldon cringed once the last part came out of his mouth.

"A more personal level? Does that mean you knew this girl before? At an _impersonal_ level?"

"Don't be silly, Leonard. I just meant that we are learning the fine details about each other."

"Well, again, that's great! Does this mean you may be drawing up a new Relationship Agreement?"

"Of course not," Sheldon scoffed. "All I would need to do is edit Amy Farrah Fowler's relationship agreement accordingly. However, as it is, I won't be doing a relationship agreement this time around."

Leonard joked. "Oh no. The zombie apocalypse has arrived, and they got Sheldon!"

Sheldon gave a mocking laugh. "Ha. Ha."

"I've decided I would like to try things the old-fashioned way this time. We're just going to…..wing it"

Leonard was pretty sure Sheldon had never used the phrase "Wing it" in his life.

"Leonard, there is something I know you to have a decent amount of experience with, and I was wondering if you could possibly help me to understand?"

"I can try," Leonard offered.

"I believe I would like to kiss this girl at some point."

Leonard shook his head. "I am _not_ going to kiss you Sheldon, if that is what you are suggesting."

"No, no, no," Sheldon gave his roommate a derisive look. "I was just wondering if you could help me understand the when, the why, the how of it. For example, how do I know when I should do it? This could be a potentially life changing moment."

"Well, it can be done at any time. However, if you really want to help that moment along, you may take her to a romantic spot. Maybe down by the beach or a walk in the park on a quiet night."

"I see."

"There will usually be a moment though, when you are looking at each other, and something clicks, and you know it's going to happen. If she is playing with her hair or licking her lips or looking at your mouth, that is a really good sign."

"Noted."

"Anything else?" Leonard asked.

"Leonard, how did you kiss Penny?"

The short physicist seemed taken aback by the question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, was it soft, hard, wet, slow, fast? Can you describe it?"

"Not really. It wasn't much different than the kisses I have given any of my other girlfriends. Once we kissed, it usually escalated pretty quickly."

"Ah yes," Sheldon said bitterly. "I seem to remember those escalations quite distinctly."

"Why did you ask about Penny?" Leonard peered over at the blue-eyed Texan.

"Well," Sheldon started, trying to buy himself time to think of something. "I just thought by knowing how you kissed Penny, it may help me to know how to kiss my girl." That was the truth. Sort of. In reality, he just knew that he _didn't_ want to kiss Penny the same way Leonard had kissed her. He wanted to wow her, but he wanted it to be a different kiss than she had ever received before.

Sheldon was relieved. He knew how he wanted to kiss Penny. He wanted it to be tender and slow and meaningful. Knowing that Leonard's kisses were sloppy (he could only assume) and urgent, helped to solidify his plans on how to kiss Penny.

Now, on to the where of it.

* * *

A few days later, Leonard was driving them both home from work. After talking about their work day, Leonard changed the subject.

"So, have you taken the big step, yet?"

"Which step, Leonard? I am not aware of any stairs that are larger than usual in my everyday comings and goings."

"The kiss, man, the kiss!"

Sheldon felt a little badly. Leonard did seem sincerely happy for him. While he still liked Raj better as a friend, he found himself not disliking Leonard so much. It seemed that the break-up with Penny had done wonders for him. His whininess was nearly non-existent. His insecurities were tolerable. He seemed to have a better outlook on life.

"Oh, no. We haven't really spent much time together since we spoke," Sheldon admitted.

"I bet it's going to happen soon, though."

"I do hope so."

"Got any ideas for a romantic setting? So that she never forgets that kiss for the rest of her life?"

"Of course, I have many ideas. I just need to choose the right one."

"You want to run any by me? Maybe I can help?" Leonard presented his help.

Sheldon knew he couldn't give all his ideas away, as some were very specific to Penny. "Well, uh, perhaps the planetarium?"

"Not bad. But, it can be crowded. She may not be too into the idea of having the first kiss in public."

Sheldon nodded. "Point taken."

"I thought of maybe doing one of those boat excursions out of Long Beach. Maybe at sunset? That would be romantic?"

"Very nice," Leonard approved. "But, what if you or she for that matter, gets sea-sick? Boy, that could ruin the mood."

"Alright, no sunset cruise."

Leonard and Sheldon continued batting around ideas. Some were quite boring and Sheldon mentally crossed them out in his mind immediately. By the time they got to their apartment, they were coming up with completely silly and outlandish ideas. Like, taking a shuttle to the moon.

Finally, Leonard stated jokingly, "One thing is for sure. The least romantic place on the planet to kiss her would be on campus at Caltech. As long as it's not there, I think you will be just fine."

It was too late. Sheldon's gears were turning. He had to talk to someone in the arts department as soon as possible.


	4. Chapter 4

_I forgot to remind you:_

_I do not own The Big Bang Theory._

_However, if I won the mega millions one day, I would buy TBBT and fix it. _

* * *

Sheldon had never been inside Beckman Auditorium. It was a rather strange contrast between it and the sterile walls and buzzing machines that he was used to in his building.

He remembered hearing Howard once speak of building some props and machines for the theatrical programs held on campus. One morning, after looking up some information on the Caltech website and the intra-staff directory, Sheldon decided to make the trek to the auditorium.

He looked inside and saw what appeared to be some sort of rehearsal concluding. He went up to the leader of the group, an older lady with frazzled gray-blonde hair. "Excuse me, Miss? I am looking for Ms. Stanley?"

The older woman leared at him from over her eyeglasses and dramatically paused. "Well, I wish that I could be the one to be of assistance to you, Mr. Tall Drink of Water."

"It's Dr. Cooper," he responded.

"Oh of course. _Dr._ Tall Drink of Water." Sheldon rolled his eyes. He should have known better than to come to the land of the hippie dippie to try to get help.

The woman led him to a door, which he could tell led down a narrow corridor. "There are offices down this hallway. She will be the fourth door on the left." Sheldon was about to retort than one person cannot actually _be_ a door, but left the remark on his tongue, as he didn't want to be in this conversation one second longer than he had to.

"Thank you," Sheldon nodded politely, and then disappeared down the hallway.

When he thought of the music and arts, the woman he had just met was exactly what he thought of. Wild. Free-spirited. Slightly nutty. He was quite surprised, therefore, to see the head of the department looking professional and rather normal.

Janice Stanley was sitting at her desk, looking down at some papers. Sheldon considered her to be more attractive than not. She was of normal build, with medium length straight brown hair, parted on the side. Her skin tone did not seem artificial. From what he could see, she was wearing a crisp suit jacket over a silk shirt. But, she seemed all business.

Sheldon knocked, and with all the control he could muster, he resisted doing his signature triple knock. He didn't want her to think he was crazy right off the bat.

"Ms. Stanley?"

The woman looked up. "Yes?" she said pleasantly.

"I'm Dr. Cooper from the physics department. I wanted to see if I could have a word with you." He showed her his university ID.

"Why yes, please come on in." She motioned to the chair across from her.

Sheldon sat and continued. "I am good friends with Howard Wolowitz. He told me about working with you." His face slightly twitched. But, because she didn't know him, he knew she wouldn't think anything of it. Howard hadn't actually mentioned her by name, and any reference he had given was three or four years ago.

"Yes, Howard! He has done some amazing things in the past for us. He designed and executed some really intricate props. I am sure the work was mundane compared to his usual wheelhouse, but it was appreciated nonetheless. Are you an engineer as well?"

Hadn't he just said he was in the physics department? Sheldon glared across the desk at her. "No, I am in the _physics_ department. Physics. Phys-ics." He did not want to be too insulting, as he was hoping for her help, but he could just not stand being lumped together in the same field as Wolowitz.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Cooper. I thought maybe they were kind of the same thing. Or perhaps physics was a branch of engineering. Or something," she smiled. Sheldon was reminded that no matter how put together, the leader of the arts department was still the leader of well, the arts department.

Sheldon scrunched his face together. "Yes well," he continued. "I was hoping to ask a favor of you, colleague to colleague. Of course, I'd be happy to assist you if any physics-related issues should come up during your endeavors." While physics encompassed the entire universe, he certainly could not envision any scenario in which the arts department would need help with anything related to his field.

"No, we don't do that kind of stuff around here, Dr. Cooper. We do favors." Sheldon couldn't help but think than Ms. Stanley sounded almost exactly like his mother in that moment. "No quid pro quo. No back-scratching. If you need something, you can ask, and we'll see what we can do. That's all."

Sheldon felt this was very much different than the department he was used to, in which everything from promotions down to which equipment could be used, was contingent on who could do more, get more, provide more. Backdoor deals between the physicists in his department were common. He thought to himself that perhaps he should have given more credit to the willy-nilly nonchalance that he associated with the arts.

"Certainly," Sheldon nodded. "I was curious if the auditorium was always open? Er, that is to say…can anyone use it during the times it is not used for your curriculum?"

"Well, it is usually open during regular work hours, from around 8 until 5 or so. There are classes during much of the day. Then, there are usually rehearsals, recitals, or performances in here in the evenings. Even if we don't need it, some of the local high schools use it for their work. It is usually locked up around 11 at night."

"The reason I ask, Ms. Stanley is my girlfriend," Sheldon willed himself not to tic. "is an actress. She could really use some actual on-stage experience. I thought it would be nice to bring her here when there was no one around and give her a chance to practice. During the day would not work; it would have to be at night. It would only be a one-time thing."

The brunette across from him hesitated. "I don't know Dr. Cooper. This is an unusual request. You definitely would not be allowed access to our lights and sounds room. That is all very tricky and expensive equipment, after all."

Sheldon was getting ready to go into a diatribe about how a man with two PhD's and working knowledge of the universe could surely handle something as menial as the audio-visual controls in this building, but her words interrupted his thoughts. "You are a friend of Howard Wolowitz, you say?"

"Yes," Sheldon replied. He silently hoped to himself that she did not contact Howard. He had not gotten permission from him to use his connections, and he really did not want to explain what was going on. "I actually officiated his wedding!" he added eagerly.

She looked at him skeptically. "A pastor _and_ a scientist. Yeah, that's not odd at all." She then proceeded to open her desk drawer, pulling out a set of keys. "All next week, there is a high school choral ensemble performing in the evenings. They should be done relatively early, around 9:30. The place will probably be all clear by 10:30 or so."

Sheldon nodded, and she continued.

"I am giving you a spare key temporarily. By next Friday, I expect it back. To be clear, this key only opens the building- no dressing rooms or offices or control rooms. Just the building."

"Understood."

"There is a parking lot behind the building, where you can park. There is a back door that this key will work for. It is an entrance for cast and crew. I cannot give you access to the front entrance."

"No that's fine," Sheldon responded. It really was. He was hoping to surprise her, so coming in from the back worked out well.

"If you get caught or anyone asks, you are here to help us with a _physics_ issue with one of our upcoming shows. Got it?" She held out the key to him.

"I really appreciate it," Sheldon expressed as he took the key.

* * *

That weekend, Sheldon was sitting on his bed , reading the latest issue of _Daredevil_.

He picked up his phone and shot off a text.

_P, what is your schedule for the upcoming week? –S_

He returned to his comic book, and about 20 minutes later, his phone rang out, indicating someone had sent him a message. He looked over, and sure enough, Penny had replied.

_M-Day T-Eve W-Eve Th-Day F- Off Why? Whatsup?_

Thursday would be the ideal day, he thought to himself. She would be able to stay out late and would not need to be up early the next day.

He worked his agile fingers on his phone quickly.

_After pizza, could you escort me down to the university?_

Her response this time was immediate.

_Um, maybe? Can we talk about it later?_

Sheldon let out a sigh. Well, it wasn't a no.

* * *

Sheldon and Penny hadn't seen each other all weekend, and she was under the weather on Monday, so she skipped out on Thai night. They didn't see each other until Tuesday evening at the Cheesecake Factory.

"Are you feeling well, Penny?" Sheldon asked critically. "I would hope so since you are handling many people's, least of which my, food this evening."

She glared down at him. "It was just a bug, Sheldon. Nothing contagious. Geez."

Penny repeated their orders back to them, saving Sheldon's order for last. "…and a barbecue bacon cheeseburger, with barbecue, bacon, and cheese on the side, bun pre-licked." She winked at the rest of the guys.

"Woman…" he started to warn.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she dismissed and took their orders to the kitchen.

Penny returned shortly with their drinks, then excused herself to wait on other tables.

Sheldon enjoyed conversation with his compatriots. Tonight, they were discussing putting together a massive paint ball tournament to expand beyond the Caltech community.

"We could charge a cover charge!" Raj added excitedly.

"We could post signs at the comic book store and contact people over at UCLA and USC," Leonard said.

Sheldon spoke up. "And obviously, we should speak to the people at the paint ball range to see if they can get in touch with their regular groups to see if they could drum up some interest."

"The paint ball war to end all paint ball wars," Howard said enthusiastically, holding his glass in the air. The four men clinked their glasses together.

* * *

Penny brought their meals to the table. "Here you go, guys." She walked to Sheldon's chair and placed her hand on the back of it behind him. "Everything look okay, sweetie?"

Sheldon looked up into her eyes and kept his voice steady. "It looks perfect, as always." He flickered his eyes, hoping she would comprehend he wasn't only talking about the burger.

"Good," the smile traveled from her mouth to her eyes, and they shone back in complete understanding.

After a split second, their gaze jerked apart. Sheldon looked around the table guiltily, but noticed that the guys all seemed be eating their meal with gusto, too distracted to see what had just happened.

Halfway through his meal, Sheldon excused himself from the table. He spared a quick glance at Penny, hoping to catch her eye. He then disappeared down the hallway to the restroom.

Only Howard noticed when Penny looked around, and then discreetly walked down the same hallway a few moments later.

* * *

Just outside the restroom area was a bulletin board with local events and "for sale" and "wanted" ads posted. Sheldon thought to himself that once the flyers were printed, he would give one to Penny to post on this board.

His Vulcan hearing heard her sneaking up behind him, but he couldn't bring himself to spoil her fun.

He smiled when Penny hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around him and clasping her hands together and squeezing him. She laid her cheek against his back. "I've missed you."

Sheldon gently pulled her hands apart and pushed them down. He turned around to face her and took a small step back, breaking contact with her. She did the same.

"Yes, well," he reached down and gave her left hand a quick squeeze. "You too are a sight for sore eyes." He nervously continued, "Which is not to say I have any ocular trouble. It is actually quite the opposite. I have remarkably above-average eye sight. Both my mother and father…"

Penny took both her hands and grabbed his wrists to stop him. "Sheldon."

"Yes?"

"So about Thursday?"

He felt a pit in his stomach. She was going to cancel. "Yes?"

"I was thinking instead of pizza with the gang, that maybe we could have a date night?" she looked at him with pleading eyes. How was he ever going to say no?

"No."

"But, Sheldon…"

"No Penny."

"Come on, sweetie. Just the two of us."

"No."

"Well, after pizza, maybe we could go get some dessert?" she suggested, grasping at straws.

"Penny," he looked at her amused. "Don't you think it will seem a little off to our closest friends when both of us leave at the same time right after our meal?"

"Fine. But, you wanted me to drive you to the university after pizza. This is sure a fine way to show your gratitude," she looked away, crossing her arms.

"Yes, but that will be much later in the evening. No one will be the wiser. Besides, Penny, what you are suggesting is just unreasonable. You are asking me to abandon my pristinely crafted routine for a night of frivolity."

Penny looked hurt and kept her arms crossed across her chest.

"Penny, this thing at Caltech that you will be driving me to, none of the guys will be there. And, I could have asked them to come, but I didn't. Because, I wanted to spend time with you."

Penny uncrossed her arms and took a deep breath. He knew she was fine. "Okay, so late at night, is it some sort of star thing or something?"

"Or something," Sheldon smiled.

"Do I need to dress a certain way?"

"Your normal clothing will be fine, Penny."

"Well then, it's a date." She scrunched up her nose. "A weird, boring, sciencey, Caltech-y date. Remember, I am working late tomorrow, so I won't see you till Thursday for pizza." She turned to leave.

"Penny?" Sheldon stopped her. He stiffly and gracefully at the same time leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.

Luckily, Howard wasn't paying attention that when Penny emerged, her face was beet red.

* * *

Sheldon placed the order for Giacamo's Pizza. Howard and Bernadette offered to pick it up on the way over to the apartment.

Penny came over early. She looked casual. She was wearing a pair of knee-length athletic shorts, a plain t-shirt, and a gray hoodie. She, Sheldon, and Leonard caught up on their video games, and re-watched an episode of Dr. Who.

Things were pleasant. After their final breakup, Penny and Leonard were able to stay friends. The dynamic between the three of them was better than it had ever been. It was like the Three Musketeers, just three friends who enjoyed hanging out and spending time together, without any sort of tension hanging in the air. Both Penny and Sheldon enjoyed how things were and worried what would happen if their relationship became serious and Leonard found out.

The rest of the gang arrived little by little, until the pint sized pair arrived with dinner in tow. They all ate and talked, but it was not much different than any other Thursday.

Howard and Bernadette left hand in hand around 9. They were usually the first people to leave. They insisted they were early birds, but Penny knew young couple that they were, they probably needed to allow extra time to fulfill their marital relations before turning in.

Raj got up to leave not long after that. Penny felt badly. She knew that when he left, he was going home to an empty apartment and he would probably want to stay here longer, just to be around people. While at times he was confident and worldly, at the end of the day, he always seemed to linger the longest, lonely and unsure.

Right before Raj left, Penny got up and wrapped up a couple of extra slices of pizza in aluminum foil and handed them to Raj. "Here you go. Breakfast!" she smiled widely. Sheldon couldn't help but notice. He wasn't sure whether to characterize it as maternal instinct or unwavering kindness toward others, but the simple act made his heart beat a little faster.

Both Sheldon and Penny knew Leonard to go to bed relatively early. He was always cleaned up, teeth brushed, and in bed by 10 o clock, barring extenuating circumstances. Sheldon was worried when as of 10:15, Leonard was still in the living room, conversing with the two of them. He had already stifled about a dozen yawns.

"Leonard, you can go to bed if you want to. Really." Penny encouraged. "We won't solve the mysteries of the universe without you."

"Don't be silly," Leonard yawned once more. "This is nice. Friends, just hanging out. Chatting." His voice was thick with honesty. They both knew his statement was authentic.

Penny and Sheldon's eyes caught each other briefly. Sheldon nudged her with his shoulder slightly. When Penny looked over, he gave her a look and nodded toward the door.

Penny caught on quickly. She stood up abruptly. "Oh, hey, well, I probably need to go. This was nice. I'm just going to be going now." Penny walked out the door. She opened up her apartment door, grabbed her purse off the hook and leaned against the elevator door to wait.

As Sheldon was sure would happen, right after Penny excused herself, Leonard began his bedtime ritual. While Leonard was in the bathroom, Sheldon quietly gathered up his things. He grabbed his apartment keys out of the bowl, as gently as possible, hoping his roommate would not hear any tell tale jingles.

At 10:30, Sheldon was sure that Leonard was in his room for the night. He shut his bedroom door, turned out all the lights behind him, and quietly slipped out the front door. He saw Penny standing there and her eyes went wide.

He was still prancing quietly, like he was a secret agent on some mission. He brought his index finger to his lips and mouthed "Shhh" to Penny. She nodded, but he saw a look of excitement in her eyes.

She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the stairs as silently as possible, like two teenagers sneaking around. She pulled him around each corner, down each flight. Once they got to the bottom, she released his hand and strode outside.

Once outside, Penny dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Sheldon this star thing at Caltech must be pretty hush-hush for us to be sneaking around like a couple of covert operatives."

"You have no idea," Sheldon replied, as they got to Penny's car.

* * *

Penny had driven to the university plenty of times. However, she always went to the far side of the campus where all the science buildings were. She found it odd that once she got to campus, he started directing her to turn onto a side road.

He gave her turn by turn instructions to get to the back parking lot. He attempted to avoid any signage that would hint to where they were heading.

"Sheldon, there's no one here," Penny stated plainly.

"Ah yes, that seems to be the case."

"Are we at the right building?"

"Penny," he shook his head at her. "I have an eidetic memory. I think I would know where we are supposed to be."

Penny shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Sheldon fumbled around his pockets for the key to the auditorium. He saw a sign on the door that said, **"Cast and Crew Members Only"** and his eyes went wide. He pointed the opposite direction, telling her about a particular tree on campus and its origins and significance. His trivial knowledge could be helpful sometimes.

While she was looking toward the tree, he was able to get the door unlocked and hold it open for her to step inside. Sheldon let out a sigh. One bullet dodged.

"Penny at this point, I must ask you to close your eyes." They were standing in the dark, but he wanted it her to be flabbergasted. She closed her eyes gently, but Sheldon knew that Penny's curiosity would always win out, so he took his large hand and covered her eyes, while with the other hand, he guided her through the building.

They went down a corridor, and arrived at a set of stairs. He knew these to be the stairs to the stage. He slipped his shoes off, as he worried that the obvious clickity-clack of his shoes against the stage's wood floor would be a dead giveaway. He continued on in his socks. Penny was wearing flip-flops, so he was not concerned that the rubber soled sandals would affect anything.

After ascending the stairs, there was still about 30 feet of backstage area from the stairs to the actual stage itself. He continued to guide her. The lights were dim. There was no grand spotlight. There was, however, some security lights that provided a slight glow upon the stage. The only other source of light in the room were the lights along the aisles on both sides of the theater.

He brought her to the middle of the stage. He knew he could not speak to her too loudly, as the acoustics would reverberate loudly. "Penny," he murmured in her left ear. "I am going to remove my hand now, but you still can't look, okay?" She nodded. "After I take my hand off, I am going to bring your hands up to cover your eyes. Got it?" Again, she nodded.

Sheldon did just as he said. With his free hand, he reached around her back and grabbed her right hand. He brought it up to her face. With his other hand, he removed it from her eyes, gripped her left hand, and also pulled it upward. He gently laid both hands across her eyes.

Still close to her, he whispered. "You have to promise not to peak, Penny. I am going to let you go now. I will let you know when you can open your eyes. Promise me that you won't peak?" Still so stunned she didn't think she could form words, Penny once again nodded.

Sheldon exited stage left, and down the set of stairs at the front of the stage. He walked up the aisle, approximately five rows back, and walked down the row until he was dead center. Sheldon took a deep breath. Even though there was no spotlight, the way the dim glows highlighted her features, he thought this was almost better.

Sheldon looked around quickly. Ms. Stanley was kind enough to allow him to bring by a bouquet of red roses and leave them here. She assured him that they would be right in front of the stage. He saw them, smiled, and knew he was ready. "Okay Penny," he spoke loudly. "Open them."

* * *

Sheldon's breath caught in his throat when he saw the look on her face as she opened her eyes to see where she was. She did not immediately look at him. Instead, she was just taking in the grandiose theater, all the seats and the majesty of it all. She gasped and covered her mouth.

"What is this?" Penny struggled to get out.

Sheldon did not want to let on how emotional this moment was making him, so he defaulted to his typical arrogance. "I believe you know what this is. _This_ is a theater. _You_ are an actress. Go ahead," he challenged. "Dazzle me."

Sheldon had prepared himself to cover up a cringe if she tried to belt out some ballad. He also steeled his eyes, and waited, expecting she may act out an expressive soliloquy from the plays of one William Shakespeare. He did not expect what came next.

Penny started to twirl around the stage, singing "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee." Sheldon wasn't unfamiliar with the song. With a sister and one television growing up in Texas, he had sat through the movie _Grease_ a few times. We would rather claw his eyes out than watch that movie again. He didn't have even slightest fondness for that movie. But, this, he could get used to.

Sheldon knew that Penny's straight singing voice left much to be desired, but he also remembered a time when they were making Penny Blossoms, and her voice harmonized with his so perfectly. This style of talk-singing suited Penny. She was able to inflict certain reactions into each verse and stanza. She pretended to be jumping on a bed. She weaved and flitted from one end of the stage to the other. Her portrayal of the spunky Rizzo was spot on.

When she was done, Sheldon applauded politely. He knew if he was too enthusiastic in his support, she may suspect it to be disingenuous. He continued to smile and clap.

Penny was taking it all in. She pretended to wave at people in the crowd. She bowed and curtsied. She even walked off stage, and came back, pretending to have her very own curtain call, bowing and waving more, blowing kisses to the crowd.

Penny's eyes finally settled on Sheldon's. She gave him a huge grin. Sheldon got up from his spot, scooted down the row and walked up the aisle toward the stage. He remembered to grab the roses, wrapped in cellophane. He tossed them onto the stage.

When she saw them, Penny brought a hand to her heart, and said dramatically in a fake Victorian accent, "Why thank you, kind sir!" and picked them up, holding them to her chest.

Sheldon walked up the stairs to the stage and stood in front of her. She returned her demeanor and voice to Penny. "So, what did ya think?" Her eyes searched his.

"I think you are not trying hard enough," he said truthfully.

Penny's jaw dropped, and she was clearly hurt. She was waiting for a Bazinga, but it never came.

* * *

Sheldon reached down and took her hand, leading her to the front of the stage. He started to sit down, and pulled her down with him. They sat side by side, still holding hands, legs dangling off the stage.

"Penny," he started. "What I meant is that your corn-fed passion and enthusiasm are quite catchy. And, your expressions were mesmerizing. I find it impossible that producers and casting agents would not see what I just saw."

She looked up at him. "That's very sweet. Acting is a tough business to crack," she admitted.

"Must be," he nodded.

"So you planned all this for me?"

"I did," he said simply.

"Why?"

"Penny, you are around scientists and science all the time. Even if you don't understand 98% of it, you have probably seen more equations and heard more science jargon than most of the general population." Sheldon seemed unsure. "We've not been good friends to you, Penny. We have not attended any of your auditions, any of your plays, we don't help you when you rehearse. This was my chance to show you that I am interested in you, all of you."

"Oh, Sheldon." Tears sprung to Penny's eyes and she dropped his hand, only to reach over and pull him into a tight hug. Hugs like these were rare for them. Penny was still sensitive to Sheldon's inexperience, and honestly, for their bodies to be so close together, it made Sheldon a little nervous sometimes.

They held each other for a couple of minutes, both their heads buried in the other's neck. Sheldon could feel the body heat radiating from her, and that feeling of anxiety crept up inside him. They eventually separated, and went right back to their previous position, except for they were no longer holding hands.

He looked over at her, but she was not looking back. She seemed to be in her own world. All of the sudden, the last voice he wanted to hear in the world popped into his mind. Leonard.

_There will usually be a moment though, when you are looking at each other, and something clicks, and you know it's going to happen._

Penny snapped out of her reverie and looked back to Sheldon, surprised to see him gazing at her with so much affection. She looked into his eyes, down at his mouth, then back to his eyes.

"Penny?" Sheldon croaked out in a whisper.

"Yeah?" she replied casually.

He scooted closer, so that they were flush against each other. "Can I kiss you?"

The emotion in those words rendered Penny speechless. It was such a combination of Texas Southern gentleman and inexperience that her heart swelled. She rubbed her lips together, wetting them. She wanted to just grab him and pull him to her. But, she knew what it must have taken for Sheldon to get up the courage to ask her. She was going to let him follow through.

"I'd like that very much."

His crystal-clear blue eyes looked deep into hers. She could tell he was nervous by the way his hands were shaking. He placed his hand onto hers and started to lean in. She tilted her head, hoping it would help him know which way to go.

He tilted his head to the left and closed his eyes. He was less than inch away, so she closed the gap between them, so that he could just barely feel her there, and would be able to navigate his lips to hers with his eyes closed.

When Sheldon felt her breath against his mouth, he pressed his lips to hers tenderly. She kissed him back, helping to guide him. It was only a couple of seconds; when he pulled away, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Something funny?" she asked, insulted.

"Just nerves," he looked away shyly.

She grasped his hand firmly in hers. "Hey!" she said in a scolding tone. "No need to be nervous. It's you and me, alright? It's you and me…in this thing together."

She took the hand she was holding and brought it up to place it on her neck. His eyes found hers. "It's just you and me," she assured him in a whisper.

He closed the space between them more confidently this time. His other hand moved to her waist, and her arms wrapped around his neck. His lips moved against hers slowly and chastely. Penny took his bottom lip between her own lips and sucked on it lightly before pulling away from him.

Sheldon's face was pink and his lips were swollen. His eyes were still boring into hers.

"Doing okay, sweetie?" Penny asked.

Sheldon wordlessly nodded.

"Do you mind if I lead for a little bit?" Sheldon's eyes went wide, and Penny was certain that he was thinking of her Big Ol' Five reputation. "I'll be gentle, I promise."

Sheldon nodded again. He moved his hand down to her waist, so that he could pull her closer.

Penny leaned in and kissed him sweetly. Her lips were warm against his, and the kiss deepened. Penny reached up and ran her hand through his hair. She opened her mouth and let her tongue lick Sheldon's tightly closed lips. A moment later, she felt him kissing her upper lip and sucking just like she had before. Knowing his mouth was even microscopically parted, she used her tongue to lick his mouth, slipping it between his parted lips.

Sheldon really didn't know where things were going, but he felt her tongue brush against his teeth, and without thinking, he just responded with what felt natural. He opened his mouth wider, and pushed his tongue out tentatively toward Penny's. Her tongue was inside his mouth wrestling with his own. He untangled his tongue from Penny's and worked it around sliding it past their active lips, into her mouth. He wanted to feel the inside of her mouth. Her teeth. Her cheeks. Everything.

Penny smiled into the kiss, noticing that he was taking initiative. They took turns being the kiss giver and receiver. It was when he involuntarily let out a groan that he pulled away.

Penny was breathing heavily, "Holy crap on…."

"A cracker, yeah," Sheldon nodded with his eyes wide, trying to catch his own breath.

They sat there for another hour or so. Every so often, they would exchange innocent kisses.

The only noises the rest of the evening were the buzzing of the security lights and the smacking of two sets of lips learning each other for the first time.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** Once again, I do not own The Big Bang Theory_

_I just want to thank everyone publicly for your support and reviews! I would love to keep writing. I have so many different ideas in my head for stories, but considering how much this beloved show of mine is tanking into oblivion, it is difficult to stay motivated._

_On one hand, I just wish I had a Men in Black memory eraser, so I could get rid of any memories I ever had of this show. I wish I had never watched in the first place. On the other, I feel like my writing is the best way to create the kind of world that TBBT should have and could have been._

* * *

The next day, Howard and Sheldon were sitting in the Caltech cafeteria, enjoying their lunch in silence. Raj had called in sick. Leonard usually ran late to lunch on Fridays.

Howard spoke. "Funny thing, Sheldon. I ran into Janice Stanley this morning at the bookstore."

"Oh?" Sheldon unsuccessfully feigned disinterest. "Um, I mean, who's that?"

Howard shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Yes, she mentioned to me that my good friend, the _brilliant_ Dr. Sheldon Cooper paid her a visit."

"She said I was brilliant?" Sheldon smiled.

"No!" Howard exclaimed, frustrated that the story was getting off track.

"Ah, the 'brilliant' is implied," Sheldon replied, completely serious. "Those folks over there in the arts department have keen minds."

"Why would you pay a visit to the head of a department that represents everything you hate?"

"Au contraire. Most of my favorite things in life are a result of the dramatic arts. Comic books; Sci-fi movies; Sci-fi television; alternate reality movies; alternate reality television; we've spoken of my partiality toward the movie-slash-musical _Fiddler on the Roof_..."

Howard could no longer control himself. "SHELDON! Will you pay attention, _please_?!"

"Does this joke have a punch line?"

"What?" the engineer asked wearily.

"You said, 'funny thing.' Now, as you have not yet heard my delightful breathy chuckle, you should be intelligent enough to know that this is not so humorous after all."

"Just stop talking and let me finish," Howard demanded. "She did not tell me _why_ you came to see her. She did indicate that you asked her for a favor. Here is what got me. She laughed and said she wishes she could have been at my wedding. She was sure you were a riot."

"Ah, yes," Sheldon yielded. "And, I would have been too, if your lovely bride were as whimsical as I. By the way, your beloved is a little scary, you know that?" he added for good measure.

Howard answered by simply nodding.

"The _point_ is what were you doing talking about me and my private life to a colleague who you barely know?"

"Oh, Howard, don't flatter yourself. I was seeking an act of kindness from Ms. Stanley, and I _may_ have inserted your name into the conversation."

"Act of kindness? Are you a pod person?! Sheldon Cooper doesn't do _favors_. He manipulates, outsmarts, and outwits other people to get his way. And if those things don't work, he just takes what he wants."

"Exactly. There is the trick. I am nice to other people, behave politely, and they are _tricked_ into helping me."

His sometimes-acquaintance, sometimes-friend, depending on how he felt about Leonard at any particular time sighed in resignation.

"So, are you going to tell me what kind of _favor_ that only someone over in Drama could provide?"

Sheldon had prepared for this to come out eventually. Still, no matter what, he knew he would never be able to lie convincingly, especially to those closest to him. While he was ready for it, unfortunately he was unable to conjure up any half-truths that could help him leave this situation unscathed.

"It's of no importance to you," Sheldon replied smoothly. "Rest assured, I will tell you in due time. But, for now, I do not wish to discuss this matter further."

"Okay, how about another matter?"

"Continue."

"Is someone's birthday or some other special occasion coming up?" Howard tilted his head curiously. None came to his mind, but if anyone knew, it would be Sheldon.

"Not that I am aware."

"Okay, has Penny gotten back into Age of Conan?"

He had no idea where Howard was going with this line of questioning. "No? I mean, not that I've seen. Not that I would know." He should have just stopped at 'No,' he thought to himself.

Howard scratched his chin. "Is Penny thinking of getting back together with Leonard?"

Sheldon stiffened. "I hardly think so."

"Here's why I ask," Howard stretched his voice out conspiratorially. "At the Cheesecake Factory the other night, I couldn't help but notice that our bubbly blonde waitress happened to excuse herself to the restroom within seconds of you doing the same. Curious, isn't it?" The question was asked in a challenging manner.

"Mr. Wolowitz, I assure you that such an occurrence could easily be attributed to coincidence." Not a lie. He said it _could_ have been; he didn't say it _was_.

"AHA!" Howard shouted, garnering the attention of a few other tables, who quickly resumed their lunch. "Sheldon Cooper does not believe in coincidences. He only believes in what is quantifiable. Sheldon Cooper would do the math and calculate how many patrons were in the restaurant. He would approximate the length of each visitor's meal and estimate how much liquid the average person drinks. He would…"

Sheldon held up a hand. "Howard, you know as well as I that such an approximation is impossible. There are too many variables. Is someone getting over an illness and imbibing more liquids? Is the person's meal salty, lending them to drink more than they would on an average day? Did their stomach not agree with their choice of fare, sending them into digestive distress? There is no way to evaluate accurately the probability of two specific people using the facilities at the same time."

Sheldon felt beady eyes staring him straight in the face, not backing down. "Yes, I agree. But, you would never call it a coincidence. 'One of life's mysteries', sure. 'Quite the puzzle,' maybe. But, the logical mind of Sheldon Cooper would never attribute anything to coincidence. Never. I've _got_ you!"

"Fine, you've got me. What are you suggesting?" Sheldon's voice was remarkably steady, while on the inside, his stomach churned at the idea that his unaccomplished yet usually insightful friend may have figured things out.

As Howard went to speak, Sheldon realized he didn't have anything. He stuttered along. "Well, I don't really have anything factual, right this very minute. But, I am testing several hypotheses. What I _do_ know is that _something_ strange is going on."

Sheldon felt a sense of warmth wash over him. It stemmed from his realization that Raj's friendship was so true, his Indian friend so loyal, that he had kept even this from his best friend.

"You have anything else to say?"

Howard was visibly annoyed. "Yes, you're insane."

Sheldon didn't even bother to correct him. He just grinned and held up his drink.

"Mazel tov."

* * *

Five weeks later, Penny arrived home from an evening shift. A simple white piece of paper was folded over and taped to her door.

Before heading into her apartment, Penny read the note.

_P-_

_It's a great night for stargazing. If you are not busy or tired, I would love some company._

_No rush._

_S_

Penny went in and took her time getting ready. After a quick shower, she made sure to dry her hair thoroughly. A wet head in the cool night air could only lead to sickness later. She was comfortable enough in her relationship with Sheldon that she never had any nerves about what she was going to wear. She put on a pair of sweatpants and a non-hooded Nebraska sweatshirt.

That was one of the perks of learning to be with someone you have known for so long. There was no honeymoon phase. She didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or looking a certain way or being saccharin sweet for a while until one day, his oddities overwhelm her, and she stops being so nice.

When Penny looked at all her years of knowing Sheldon, she saw it as one continuous experience. There was no "before Sheldon" or "after Sheldon." It was just simply Sheldon. Always. Sheldon would roll his eyes at the metaphor, but she saw their relationship as a circle. As far back as she could remember, it was her and Sheldon. Their friendship that blossomed into more was not an entirely new entity; it just made the circle a little bigger, and no matter how much you analyzed the circle, no one could tell where one part began and another ended. It all ran together, like it's how things should have been all along.

Their pace was slow. Sheldon was shy at times. On a couple of occasions, they went a few days without kissing, and by the time they kissed again, it felt like the first time all over again- clean and unsure. It had been only kissing so far, with the exception of one time, Sheldon's hands crept slowly under her top. It had only been his fingers, and he had only felt her stomach, but he had caught himself and apologized.

While Penny was typically the aggressor in a relationship, she found herself surprisingly happy with the way things were going. Not even when she had her first time many years ago was she treated so respectfully. And all of times since were marked by passion and desire that while fun in the moment, nearly always left her feeling cheap and insecure. As a youth, Penny had missed out on a truly virginal experience. She missed out on the sweetness of taking things slow. She never got to see what it was like to get to know each others bodies like a treasure and not as a used object. This was her chance to do things the right way, the way she had wanted to enter a relationship all along. She just never had a partner willing to wait for her, and she never had the confidence before to demand their patience.

It also had to do with Sheldon. He had missed out on a normal adolescence. He never had that "first girlfriend" experience. Yes, he had been with Amy, but it was not the same. Normal things, like dating and simple acts of affection were foreign to him. He never got to learn the dating instinct of knowing when to pat someone's leg gently, hold their hand, tuck a stray piece of hair behind their ear. She owed it to him to let him learn this on his own. She didn't mind helping him if he asked. However, Sheldon deserved to have this new practice of navigating one's emotions and actions within the construct of a relationship. Penny knew that their relationship would only grow stronger by letting things happen at a natural pace.

Before she headed out the door, Penny thought to herself that there was an odd sort of freedom in not having to worry if her legs were shaved or if she was wearing unsexy undies. Truth be told, if the time ever comes, she won't care about it then either.

* * *

When Penny got to the rooftop, she had trouble initially finding Sheldon. She had been anticipating a ton of massive equipment. Over in the corner, she saw Sheldon standing there, not watching the stars, but rather the glittering lights of the streets of Pasadena.

"Hey Penny," he said without even turning around.

"Hey yourself. Sweetie, where's your telescope?"

He motioned to the ground behind him, where a large blanket lay. "I thought it would be nice to see the stars the old-fashioned way. The way I used to dream of the universe as a boy back in Texas. Just us and the sky."

"Okay," she nodded.

Sheldon, ever chivalrous, took her hand and helped her down onto the blanket. He took a seat right next to her. Sheldon propped his hands behind his head like a pillow and laid down. Penny laid back as well, with her hands resting simply on her stomach. There was several inches between them, and they each had their ankles crossed.

Sheldon started out by pointing out certain stars and constellations, regaling her with stories, some real, some mythological. Soon, they were trying to best each other by pointing out the silliest animals and other shapes they could see.

"Now, you are just making that up!" Penny giggled.

"I am not," Sheldon pointed once more. He grabbed her arm and pointed her arm toward the sky. "How can you not see that two-headed moose?!"

Sheldon settled back into his spot. Penny rested her hands under her back to keep them warm. "How come _you_ couldn't see that tennis racquet before?" she retorted.

"Excuse me? I am basing my observations on very detailed lines and patterns; you just have a very active imagination."

She removed her hand and gave him a playful nudge. He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers together. They set their hands on the blanket between them and continued on with their observations.

They spent their time sometimes talking, sometimes not, but entirely comfortable. He told her about Hannah.

Sheldon turned on his side and propped his head up with his fist, looking at Penny. She did not mirror his actions, but rather, just turned her head and looked straight at him.

"Penny, I feel there is something we need to talk about," Sheldon treaded lightly.

"Go ahead." Penny's blonde hair was splayed out beneath her, and he thought she looked so beautiful. Sheldon leaned down and placed a short, caring kiss to her lips. He returned to lay on his back and grasped her hand once more.

* * *

"You know that I don't care about labels and such. But, at some point, we will need to call ourselves _something_."

"I suppose."

"We are exclusively dating, right?"

She squeezed his hand. "Of course we are. We are exclusive."

"Is it okay if I call you my girlfriend?" Sheldon bit his lower lip.

"I think that would be fine."

"What will I be to you then?"

"Honey, you are my best friend," she whispered.

"I don't want us to be dating, Penny. Not even exclusively dating."

"Well.."

"I want to be more. Meemaw would call it 'going together.' Mother would call it 'going steady.'"

"Sheldon," Penny sighed. We are neither of those two things. We are so much more than that. Our bond goes so much deeper. When my gramps and grandma got together, they never put a name to it. Everyone just knew they were together, and just knew where things were heading. No one had to say a word. Sweet, isn't it?"

"Do you mind if I told my mother that I was courting you?"

Penny blushed. "Not a single bit. I think your mom would be really happy to hear that. She does like me, right?"

"Are you kidding me?" Sheldon seemed dismissive. "She _likes_ the chicken fried steak dinner at Freemont's Diner down the road from us in Galveston. She _likes_ to sit on the porch and pass judgment on the states of attire of the young people that walk by, praying for their heathen souls. She _loves_ you. You don't have to worry about that."

Penny smiled and hummed. Sheldon could hear sleepiness taking over.

"One more thing. What, or more importantly _when_ shall we tell our peer group?"

"Soon, I guess," she growled reluctantly.

"Penny, are you ashamed by our relationship?" Penny cringed at the hurt heavy in his voice.

"No!" she replied assertively. "Don't ever think that, okay?" She let go of his hand and patted his thigh affectionately. "It's just that I've really enjoyed these last couple of months, getting to know you. We don't have to worry about what other people think. No expectations. Just you and me."

Sheldon surprised her with his candor. "You have a fair point. But, I think things will be rather awkward when they receive written notice of our impending nuptials."

She knew he was just throwing things out there, not proposing marriage, and she laughed. "That's true. Once we make it official, Sheldon, everything changes. It makes things real."

"I had no illusions that things weren't real all along? So, what you are saying is that, because of our coupling, our group dynamic will change?"

"Of course."

"Howard and Bernadette paired together," Sheldon added simply. "Are you suggesting that they changed things, too?"

"Well, yeah," Penny replied as if it were obvious.

"Explain."

"Come on Sheldon, you believe in evolution. People evolve. Friendships evolve. Think of you guys at a certain point five years ago. Things will never be exactly as they were in that moment. And, five years from now, things will not be exactly as they are in this moment." She took a breath. "I'm not saying it is a bad thing. With Howard and Bernie, it has been mostly positive. All I am saying is, for better or for worse, things will never be exactly the same."

"I don't like change."

"I know, sweetie."

Sheldon pondered Penny's explanation for a few minutes, from a scientific and sociological perspective. His question, though, was surprisingly ordinary. "Do you think they will be upset?"

"I don't," she replied.

Sheldon smiled. Penny had an instinct about these sorts of things. He trusted her judgment.

* * *

Their evening was winding down, as drowsiness started to overcome both of them. Penny let out a loud yawn.

"Sheldon?"

"Hmm?"

"You know how people say when they look up at the stars, they feel small? Well, I feel just the opposite."

"How so?"

"It's hard to explain. It's just that this world is so huge. So much is unexplored and there's so much that we can't explain. The fact that I have been able to experience a relatively rich life and made it through the world with good friends, a roof over my head, warm clothes," she motioned to her outfit, "it makes me feel lucky. Like I could be any plant, animal, or organism on earth…..but the universe was watching out for me. I was worth blessing."

"Are you familiar with the concept of a roofless church?"

"I'm not. Are _you_?" She was shocked he was even talking about any kind of church.

"In the early times of our country, and presumably this was a practice in other unsettled parts of the world as well, there were few church buildings." Sheldon continued on. "People were moving westward and settling uncharted areas. They were never anyplace long enough to create a traditional church dwelling."

"Makes sense."

"But, they were still a very religious people. They still wanted to honor their faith. So, they would have worship services outdoors, right out there in the open. They didn't _go_ to church; church was wherever _they_ were. What they proclaimed was that everything on earth was God's. Walls weren't necessary. And, the sky was the only roof that could contain all of God's creation. They were the church. The sky was the roof."

"That's interesting," Penny replied. She meant it.

"They felt that every layer, every dimension between the ground, up into the sky was touched by God. As for me," he swallowed, "while I am unsure of how I feel about a God that may or may not exist, and I certainly don't subscribe to the idea of Creationism, I guess if there is even a remote possibility that this world and everything in it was designed by some divine being ...well, then I am grateful to that entity. It has been my privilege that I was given something so vast and wonderful to be able to explore every single day."

Penny turned her head, her green eyes locking onto his. It touched her deeply that he was able to share such vulnerability with her. She didn't realize that he was only partially talking about his science.


	6. Chapter 6

_Of course, I do not own the Big Bang Theory. However, if you really like this story, feel free to forward it to TPTB and tell them that I would be happy to write for them for FREE. Heck, I'll pay THEM to write for them, if it meant they would let me fix everything._

* * *

They didn't tell their friends the next day. Or the day after. It was actually a couple of weeks later.

After staying up ridiculously late texting back and forth with Penny the night before, in a fog of exhaustion and rush to get ready after having overslept, Sheldon had left his laptop at home.

While he could have used the university's computers, he kept much of his research and analysis on his personal computer, away from the prying eyes of the people he worked with but rarely trusted.

He didn't want to wake her; he texted her instead.

_P_

_Someday I hope to fall asleep to the sound of your voice and not the ding of your text message._

_-S_

After hitting send, he re-read the message and cursed himself for sounding not only presumptuous, but also weird.

She replied almost instantly.

_How romantic._

He thought to himself for a moment about the nature of her reply.

_P_

_Did I wake you? PS Sarcasm?_

_-S_

He glanced up at the door nervously. He really didn't want to explain to Dr. Gablehauser or heaven forbid, President Seibert, if they walked by catching him not working _and_ texting.

Ding.

_Nope, I just got out of the shower. PS Little bit ;)_

They texted back and forth a couple of more times, the end result being Sheldon asking Penny to bring his laptop to work, and Penny agreeing to handle such valuable equipment with the utmost care.

* * *

Leonard was planning to run across campus to the smoothie shop for a Mango Sunrise. He was in such a good mood, he thought he would stop by Sheldon's office to see if he'd like to come with or wanted him to bring him back something.

He was gob smacked by what he came across. The door to Sheldon's office was already open, and Penny and Sheldon were standing inside. They weren't kissing or even touching. But, they were facing each other and just talking with such familiar proximity, and the serene smile on Sheldon's face as he looked at her, told the whole story.

Leonard walked up to the doorway quietly, simultaneously looking around to see if anyone else was around to see this. He knew. The way Sheldon hadn't seen him out of the corner of his eye or even heard him approach with his sensitive hearing. While Sheldon's arms were crossed in front of his chest, the tone of his voice was soft. And then, finally, when he knocked on the door, the way they jumped apart as if they were caught, both faces blushing wildly, both sets of eyes refusing to make eye contact with him. Leonard knew.

"Am I, uh, interrupting something?" Leonard spoke.

Penny looked up into Sheldon's eyes, and he gave her a subtle nod. She said in a serious voice, "Leonard, do you want to come in? We need to talk."

Penny and Sheldon had talked about this before, and felt that as her former boyfriend and his long-time roommate, they owed it to him to tell him first, and in private. They also felt it would be a good idea just in case he had some out-of-control reaction; at least he would be able to settle down, before they shared it with the rest of the group.

They had asked Raj and Stuart if they would mind keeping it hidden from the gang, most especially Leonard, that they were in the loop before anyone else. They didn't want any hurt feelings.

The two companions watched as Leonard's bespectacled gaze went back and forth between them. But, shockingly enough, there was a sparkle in his eye, and it was dancing.

"Nah," he let out. "I was going to take a break and head over to Very Berry for a drink. Do you guys want to join me? You can tell me all about it."

Sheldon let out a sigh of relief. Leonard seemed, dare he say, pleasant. He knew that everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

Sheldon and Penny had been together for 9 months. They still had spats over the silliest things. They wouldn't be them if they didn't. He was still the looney guy across the hall, and she was still the girl that could shoot him a glare from 40 feet away that would stop him in his tracks.

Their friends were completely supportive of their relationship, even Amy, who had seemed to move on with her life.

The most priceless reaction was Howard's who for days afterwards, would grumble "I knew something was up; I _knew_ it" and "I was _this_ close to cracking the mystery."

Despite their differences, they had a relatively stable relationship.

They kissed…..a lot. Their physical relationship had been restricted to the waist up. It wasn't a spoken rule; that's just as far as they had gotten. Sheldon's hands had gotten intimately acquainted with her torso and chest in a few instances. She had sometimes sat in his lap while they kissed, and on more than one occasion, or ten, they had ended up reclined on one of their beds….just kissing.

They had also spent the night with each other usually 2 or 3 nights out of every week. It was very pure. They both always stayed completely clothed. Sometimes, they would wake up wrapped up in each other's arms. Other times, Penny would end up sprawled out across the bed, and Sheldon would be clinging to the last three inches of room on the bed, hoping to not fall.

Within the last month or so, things had started to heat up, but only slightly. They were now used to removing their tops and Penny's bra if she was wearing one while making out. It didn't happen every time; for Sheldon, the sensation was emotional more than physical. It made him feel safe and also like he was protecting Penny. Rather than bursting with uncontrollable arousal, he was content. He felt warmth and happiness radiating inside him.

Their biggest fight had happened three months prior. Sheldon had agreed to escort Penny to her co-worker's wedding. It was a nice, if not blasé, traditional ceremony. Penny had had a little too much to drink at the reception, so Sheldon took her keys and drove them home. He drove just as over-cautiously as he had the night he rescued Penny from a lack of adhesive ducks induced fall.

Once they arrived back at her apartment, he had every intention of helping Penny into bed. He knew she was not completely drunk, but she was acting a little buzzed. One thing led to another, and they were kissing each other with a passion and ferocity that up until that point was missing from their relationship. Their hands roamed everywhere, and as they fell to the bed, their limbs were tangled together.

Sheldon didn't remember when or how it happened, but at one point, they had stripped down to their undergarments. Penny bit his neck a little too roughly, and he was certain there would be a mark there later (there was). Sheldon was able to sit up from the bed and take a breath. He got up, found his clothes and started putting them back on.

"I'm going to go, Penny." Yes, he wanted to be with her. But, not like this. He didn't want her to wake up from their first time together in a haze, barely remembering what happened.

"You don't want this?"

Before turning to go, he replied, "No. Not tonight." All Penny heard was _No. _

Penny didn't speak to him for a week.

* * *

The week after that was spent with them having loud shouting matches with each other, all seeming to go the same way:

_Do you even want to be with me? Are you even capable of having sex?_

_You really want us to share our first time like __**that**__? Like some trashy romance novel?_

_You didn't seem to have a problem with "trashy" when you broke the zipper on my brand new dress, when you were trying to pull it off!_

_Does this not mean as much to you as it does to me? _

Penny had slapped Sheldon a couple of times. They never yelled to a natural stopping point where things settled down. They just yelled until their voices were raw, and then they would retreat to their respective apartments, only to start the same thing all over the next day.

* * *

Then, that next Wednesday, Sheldon heard a knock at the door. He opened it to see Penny standing there sobbing her eyes out. "I got a job! On TV!" She sobbed harder, and took one step forward, where he wrapped his arms around her tightly. The fight was over.

He pulled her to the couch, and she curled up, crying against his chest, while he stiffly held her, every so often rubbing her shoulder with his large hand.

Once the crying had stepped, Sheldon tipped her chin up so that he could look at her.

"Well?"

"Well, actually…"

"Wait!" he interrupted. "I neglected to offer you a non-optional hot beverage."

She held onto him tighter and glared into his eyes. "I'm not upset; I'm happy!"

"But…I suppose this one time, considering I am pre-disposed, I can make an exception?"

"Do you remember the night we looked at the stars?"

"I remember everything," he said haughtily.

"Of course," she paused as he absent-mindedly brushed her hair out of her face. "Before that, I had the opportunity to audition for some parts on the Christian networks, Trinity, INSP, EWTN, even a Catholic network…"

"Oh, I am quite familiar with that programming, Penny." It was true. His mother seared EWTN into his brain as a child.

"Every so often, they are looking for people to re-enact Bible stories and stuff. Well, I never did the auditions before. For one, I was too proud. I didn't want to be on some lame network. For two, I felt like I would be a huge hypocrite, acting out these stories that I wasn't sure I believed in."

"You believe in them now?" He eyed her skeptically.

"No. Not exactly. But, it got me thinking. If you, the most brilliant scientist in the world, can be open to the possibility of something more, then why shouldn't I? Just because I may not believe in some of these, doesn't mean that I _definitely_ don't. Plus, there are people out there that do believe. I just decided to explore my options, that's all."

Penny had calmed now, and had pushed herself off of Sheldon and sat next to him under her own weight. "So, I started auditioning with these networks, and the other day, I got a call back."

"You are going to be an actress on TV?" he smiled.

"No. As it turns out, my 'type' does not exactly jive with the ethnic makeup of Jerusalem in Jesus' day," she added dismissively.

"Ah, yes that does make sense."

"But, they really liked me. There is this advice show for teens on their network. It's been on there for years, and their host is retiring. They thought I would be perfect for the part!"

"Hmmm…that's different."

"I know, it doesn't sound that great, but I think I will really like it. It will be a modest living, but I will be able to leave The Cheesecake Factory. I am not the one giving the advice most of the time. I will just be asking the teens questions and introducing segments and interviewing people. The show is supposed to be clean-cut, obviously, but it is not like, bible thumping. It's just about teens with regular, every day problems. And, it's a foot in the door."

"So, you are going to be on…"

"TBN," she finished.

"My mother is going to think I hit the jackpot with you. Her little Shelly's girlfriend on her nutty Christian shows." He could just imagine her reaction when he tells her.

She elbowed him teasingly. "You are impossible."

"Improbable."

"I said what I said."

"Should we go celebrate? How about Loco Coco? We could get some frozen hot chocolates?" Sheldon's eyes were sparkling. He loved when they went for frozen hot chocolate, and the whipped cream inevitably ended up all over her mouth and nose.

"One more thing we need to talk about," Penny braced herself. "I signed a 2-year deal. There were some requests in the contract that you may expect from the type of organization I will be working for."

"Go on."

"One, pregnancy. Since I am not a married woman, if I were to become pregnant, that would be grounds for immediate dismissal. I knew that wouldn't be an issue. A lot of it dealt with public perception. I cannot go out drinking and clubbing. A glass of wine with dinner is fine, but I can't be seen at some bar partying it up. I have to keep my clothing appropriate. With paparazzi and Twitter and everything, all it would take is one photo to fall into the wrong hands, and the people that sponsor the network will pull their funding so fast, it's not even funny."

"While I am not a fan of their attempt to control you, those requests seem reasonable."

"Sure…and I talked to them about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You are right on the brink of being a superstar in the science world. Your name will be everywhere. I just need you to dial back your criticism of Christianity as a sham, at least in public. They'd prefer if their high profile cast member was not dating someone who was actively trying to disprove their faith."

"Penny," he said so sweetly and so seriously. "You know me and my feelings on religion. I am no atheist. I am just not sure. A lot of what I say in those public journals and in interviews is played up, to give the persona of the typical scientist. Every, or at least, most great historical figures in the science world, have gone on record completely disavowing religion."

"I shall never reveal your true self, Sheldon Cooper. Anyway, if you were to win any awards or honors based on your work, I won't be able to go to any events with you. If it is small awards within the university, such as a staff award or service to the school, that would probably be okay. But, if you are honored for discovering or clarifying or whatever some scientific principle that their audience would find to be _hokum_," she smiled at him, "I just can't be there. I can't be seen publicly supporting my atheist boyfriend and his anti-Christian delusions. Their words not mine. Actually, not even their words, but I am sure they were thinking it."

"I see," he replied sadly. "That seems rather harsh."

"Just promise me you will wait a couple of years to win that Nobel of yours, okay?" she joked.

* * *

That had been three months before. Penny was happier than ever to have a real job on television. She came home most days, gushing with excitement and pride. She had formed a bond with some of the teenaged regulars. She felt like an older sister. A mentor.

Sheldon had always felt rather satisfied with his job at Caltech. Of course, he wanted to and would win the Nobel Prize someday, but he loved what he did. But, every time he saw Penny beaming with glee after one of her tapings, he felt as if he loved _her_ job more than his own, because of the unmitigated joy it bought to his best friend.

He knew it was time. He needed to make a phone call, though. There was one person that he trusted to give him the perfect advice.

He picked up his phone and hit speed dial 9.

_Hello?_

"Bernadette?"

* * *

_Hi, Sheldon, Howard's not home right now. Actually, he should be on his way over to your place._

"Yes, I am aware. I was actually hoping to speak to you."

_Okay?_

"As I am sure you know, this coming Thursday is Anything-can-happen Thursday. Do you and Howard happen to have plans?"

_Actually, Howard does. I normally work later than usual on Thursdays, so he has plans to go over to his mom's house for supper. I am sure he'll be there most of the evening._

"Perfect. Bernadette, after you get done with work, would you care to have dinner with me Thursday evening? Say, around 7:30?"

_I suppose that would be okay?_

"Great! There is a little corner restaurant called Giancarlo's. It's a block from our building. Have you seen it?"

_Yes, I've passed it before. _

"We'll meet there then? At 7:30?"

_Sure, Sheldon. See you then._

Sheldon hung up the phone and prepared his conversation.

* * *

Sheldon arrived to Giancarlo's Casual Italian on Thursday about 20 minutes early. He wanted to make sure to get a table…..he wanted to make sure he got _his_ table.

Sheldon enjoyed a big bowl of pasta; he enjoyed Italian. However, he was only able to find two Italian restaurants that would do take-out for him, and they were located clear across town. Plus, their food, while acceptable, certainly wasn't impressive enough to bump any other restaurants out of their esteemed spots in his routine.

Giancarlo's was relatively new. What he enjoyed about it was that rather than playing up the candlelit, romantic atmosphere that many Italian restaurants have, this place was completely casual. Decent lighting; Red and white checkered cloths adorning the tables; best of all, it was within walking distance. Sheldon paused to remember him and Penny's first date. Yes, romanticism does have its merits at times, but for his talk with Bernadette, this would suit them just fine.

The petite blonde arrived 5 minutes early. She was wearing a purple dress with yellow polka dots over a pair of leggings. She waved and smiled as she walked in the door and Sheldon stood when she arrived to the table.

Despite few interactions, Sheldon had a soft spot in his heart for Bernadette. She was intelligent and responsible. She never mocked his hobbies or lifestyle. Other than the little spat over the parking spot, they got along well. She always tried to exhibit understanding, and he envied her kind nature. Of course, he never had romantic feelings for her, but he had thought on a few occasions that his mother would probably be quite fond of her.

"Good evening, Bernadette," Sheldon greeted her.

"You too. Great place, by the way," she motioned around her.

"I hope you like it."

Their waitress came by to take their drink order. Bernadette ordered a Diet Coke and Sheldon went with sweet tea.

"Could I interest either of you in a glass of wine?"

Sheldon shook his head, of course, but gestured across the table. "Bernadette?"

"No, thanks. I'm driving," she smiled.

Sheldon opted for pasta primavera, and Bernadette chose the veal parmesan.

"So, Sheldon, you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Yes, of course. Please understand that you are the only one I am talking to about this. I consider you an esteemed friend and I trust your judgment. When it comes to matters of the heart, I knew you were the one to come to."

He looked down and swallowed two gulps before looking up and continuing.

"I've decided that…" his voice cracked. "I've decided that I'm ready for…" his voice trailed off once again. He had underestimated how difficult this would be to vocalize.

"Did you inherit Raj's mutism?" Bernadette joked.

"Not at all. Give me a minute." Sheldon attempted to compose himself.

"Howard and I are expecting a baby!" Bernadette shouted out.

"What?"

"You are the first person we've told outside of family. And I'm scared. What if my body won't be healthy enough for the baby? What if I'm a bad mother? What if Howard's mother is babysitting and falls over on it?"

There was a stupid grin on Sheldon's face.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face "Sheldon? _Sheldon?_ Are you going to say anything?"

"Well done, Howard!" he continued to grin.

"Howard? What about me?!"

"I am congratulating Howard for his successful insemination of your womb. Once you do your part, you'll get my praise, too."

"Yes. The five minutes of sex that it took for him to _inseminate my womb_ is surely comparable to 9 months of being pregnant and who knows how many hours of labor!" she growled out, in her sweet but scary voice.

"I'm the only one you've told?"

"Yes."

"But, I can't keep secrets. You know I cannot keep secrets."

Bernadette took a breath. "You won't have to for long. We are planning to make the announcement tomorrow night when we are over at your place. Can't you make it 24 hours? Part of those, you will be sleeping."

"I will do my best."

"Bernadette?"

"Yes?"

He gave her a genuine smile, "I'm pleased for you. You will be a beautiful mother."

"Thanks. The reason I said something, other than the fact that I am bursting at the seams to tell people…..is I'm scared. Really scared. So, if you are afraid, that's okay. It's okay to be afraid of things. But, you can _tell_ me. Anything."

Their meal arrived, but neither of them dug into their piping hot food. They wanted to finish the conversation.

"I've been thinking a lot lately about my relationship with Penny. I know where we're heading. I know that we are going to be together the rest of my life."

Bernadette nodded.

"I'm not saying this because I think it is a requirement or I think I will lose her. I'm ready to, I _want_ to make love to Penny. It's the next step, and I'm ready."

The blonde smiled softly, as she could see only truth and love in his big blue eyes.

"Yes," she reached up to brush his cheek. "I think you are."

"Right. So, I have a few questions."

Bernadette looked horrified. "Sheldon, I really don't think I'm the one to give you The Talk."

"Not _that_! I just mean…I know she has been with her share of men. And, I know that she has copulated in various places. Indoors, outdoors. From my own roommate, I know of at least five…..er, non-traditional places. I want to be different. I want it to stand out. I want it to be an experience that she's never had before."

"Sheldon, it will be the perfect experience, because it will be with _you_, no matter the time or place."

"That's the best you got?" he seemed underwhelmed.

Bernadette tightened her lips and shook her head at him. "It's your personal experience. Not mine."

"If you don't come up with something better, I may have to resort to calling Raj, and ask where the protagonists in his romance novels like to mate."

"First, don't call it 'mate.' Okay, here are some quick thoughts. If you are going to do it at your place, your bedroom, not hers. No trashy motels. If you are going to go to a hotel, it needs to be super nice, like the nicest room they have. 4 star or higher hotel. Outdoors is okay, but make it somewhere special, not a public place. And always shower together afterwards. Always."

"Well, I suppose that will do."

"Yep, the rest you'll have to figure out on your own."

"One more thing."

"Okay?"

"I am pretty sure Penny no longer takes birth control. I mean, why would she? If she gets pregnant, she will lose her job. I absolutely do not want to use a prophylactic." Sheldon made a face. "It's not about me. I just do not want this to be like some cheap hookup as you will. This is not just sex. This is about two people in love, and I want this act to be as such. Nothing between us."

While it was sweet, Bernadette couldn't help but cringe, hearing Dr. Sheldon Cooper talk about his sex life.

"Would you consider it a betrayal to slip some birth control into her meals at regular intervals? Do you think she would taste it?"

"Sheldon, this is my last word on this. No, you cannot slip her birth control. That's beyond crossing a line. You either need to wear protection or be prepared for the small chance that something could happen. Or you could talk to Penny ahead of time, and maybe she will get back on birth control herself. Those are your options."

The conversation was clearly finished, so they both started to eat their lukewarm, but still tasty, meals.

* * *

_**A/N:** I just wanted to address some questions and comments. This is my idealized Big Bang Theory obviously. It is set much along the same linear path that the current canon runs. If Sheldon seems slightly out of character at times, that is somewhat intentional. In my story, the Shamy relationship very much existed and the results are very much the same. I could not ignore the Shamy relationship or pretend like it didn't do anything to Sheldon. As we know, ever since Shamy came along, Sheldon has become a broken person and he is not the same guy we all knew and loved. So, I know I couldn't put him completely back as Season 2 Sheldon, but I also didn't want him as far gone as Season 6 Sheldon, so I dialed it back a bit. _

_Secondly, I don't like the Leonard character. At all. He had so much potential in the beginning. But, for the most part of this series, he has been a giant douche. Mean to his roommate. Sarcastic. Immature. Smug. Insecure. However, I think he could have been a good character. He had his moments in the beginning, when I actually liked him. So, like I said, this is my idealized version of him, the character I wish they had made him. I'm sure if I do any future fics, my true interpretation of Leonard will shine for all to see._


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: I do not own The Big Bang Theory._

_However, I am sure in some other universe, I do, and I wish I lived there right now. Lol_

* * *

Penny and Sheldon fell back into a comfortable routine. A couple of times a week, his mind pondered the circumstances that could, or would, lead to their first romantic experience together.

However, they were in such a good spot in their relationship, those thoughts left almost as quickly as they came. Sheldon hadn't thought a lot about relationships growing up, except at times when his parents were fighting, his mind would sometimes drift to what he would like marriage to be like.

As a child, he didn't imagine romance as something you were constantly _doing_. It hadn't been about going out on extravagant dates, passionate nights, reciting love poems to each other while staring into each other's eyes. What he had imagined was stability and sanity. For him, the idea of doing _nothing_ was for more interesting than doing _something_. He thought about the comfort of just being in each other's presence.

Not much had changed for him over the years, in terms of his view on affairs of the heart. As he had progressed into adulthood, he reached a point, where upon observances relationships in general, he believed that his fantasy of what a lifelong partnership would be was just that, a fantasy.

When he had met and continued to befriend that buxom blonde from across the hall, he could never have anticipated what they had now. She was oil, and he was water. They fought and argued frequently. He also knew her to be quite fond of physical relationships, and when he heard her voice calling out in the middle of the night during her and Leonard's relationship, he had but one response: he felt sorry for her.

He felt that she had such goodness about her and so much potential and ambition. In his mind, she had somehow reduced herself to nothing more than a body to be given over to any guy that desired her. He wanted her to value herself for what she really was, what he saw in her: capable, strong, fierce, and with a heart big enough to care for two awkward neighbors and their equally awkward friends.

As a scientist, and possibly even more important, a sci-fi aficionado, he deeply believed in the idea of alternate realities. He often thought of the Many Worlds Interpretation, and what kind of person he was in those infinite numbers of universes. Not for a single second did he ever believe that in any of those worlds, would he and Penny not only be a couple, but that they would be as they are now. He never believed that it could have been Penny to bring him that sense of constancy that he had dreamt of as a child.

When it all seemed so noble and true, he couldn't bring himself to change their dynamic.

* * *

They had both agreed that they would visit Nebraska for Thanksgiving this year. Sheldon even took an extra two days off, so that they could leave on Tuesday. Penny was done taping through the new year, so it worked out well.

Sheldon was nervous, as other than four Skype conversations, this would be the first time he would be meeting her family as her boyfriend. As he did with everything in life, he attempted to create scenarios in his mind, and how he would behave in them. He would need to offer to help her mother clean the dishes. He knew he would have to work on biting his tongue if something was said that he wanted to correct. He would be a complete and total gentleman to Penny, not that he wasn't already, but he wanted her family to see it for themselves. And then, there was that talk with her father.

While he couldn't stay mad, Sheldon did pout for most of the day the Monday that they had purchased their flights. He vehemently tried to talk Penny into taking a train out to Nebraska. It would be the perfect way to see the West, in all its glory, he tried to reason with her.

Penny had driven to and from Nebraska enough times to know that it wasn't going to happen, at least not in her mind. "Sweetie, I really want to spend time with my family," she had said. "By taking the train, that would knock off two full days of our trip, maybe more. No train. Please?"

He hadn't argued with her, but it didn't stop him from sulking.

Unbeknownst to Sheldon, Penny came up with the perfect compromise, one that was somewhat rooted in practicality. When looking up flight fares, she noticed that for them to fly into Lincoln would be significantly cheaper than Omaha. They could easily rent a car from there. Penny's folks lived on the southern outskirts of Omaha, so the drive wouldn't be bad at all.

But, then she thought of her sweet and gentle physicist, and she did a bit more research. She found an Amtrak route that ran from Lincoln to Omaha. The fare was very reasonable, as with the additional cost, it would still be much less expensive than the flight to Omaha. It was only about a two hour ride, which wouldn't be bad at all. It would take them to the train station, which was further into Omaha, and they would have to backtrack south to go to her house, but she felt it was well worth it.

_Click. Click. Sold. _

She wanted to surprise him, but she couldn't contain her excitement. When she shared what she had done, his response was underwhelming.

"I much prefer the restored trains of yesteryear to the typical Amtrak-style modern trains," he had stated simply.

Penny knew his intent was not to hurt her. She had gotten used to Sheldon's Vulcan-like sensibilities. He had a way of saying things out loud that shouldn't be said. He had no internal filter, when it came to saying things that could be insulting. He was very selective about showing emotions. Usually Sheldon's brashness didn't not hurt her; sometimes it did. Even though she knew he wasn't trying to be mean, she still felt disappointed at his reaction.

"However," he had continued on. "The thoughtfulness and effort you put into such a gesture more than makes up for it. Thank you, Penny."

Penny thought back to that summer that the guys had gone on their great monopole adventure. She had gone to see the new _Star Trek_ alone. While she really had missed Leonard, the actual movie itself had made her feel deeply close to Sheldon. It was Spock-centric. It delved into Spock's childhood and highlighted the idea that he _did_ have emotions. She knew that Spock was one of Sheldon's favorite fictional characters, maybe even his outright favorite. She could now see why, as Sheldon too had grown up too fast, too smart for his own good. His misunderstood childhood had led him to be closed-off and distant.

Penny recalled one of her favorite scenes. Spock's father, Sarek, was speaking to Spock as a boy. He was telling the child about the importance of keeping a steady demeanor and emotions in check. He then went on to explain that for Vulcans, their emotions actually run much deeper than even humans. It wasn't that the emotions were non-existent; it was that their emotions were so potent and forceful that they _had_ to keep them under wraps.

Penny smiled to herself as she now realized what Sarek said to be completely true. While Sheldon seemed cold at times, she knew his emotions to be quite deep and insightful. "Well, honey, you wanted to go on a train. I wanted to fly. It was logical."

* * *

Sheldon and Penny stepped onto the train with their luggage in tow. She silently fell behind and let Sheldon pick their seats. He helped her stow her luggage above the seats, and before they sat down, he placed a sweet kiss to her cheek.

The flight had been relatively uneventful. The turbulence was minimal, which was good, because Sheldon's stomach was a bundle of nerves.

The couple took their seats, which the setup was two seats to a row. Almost immediately upon sitting down, they clasped together their hands, resting them on the armrest.

"So, what did your mother say when you told her you wouldn't be home for Thanksgiving?" Penny began.

"Well, as you might imagine, she was slightly upset, but more because _we_ would not be coming, not just me."

"Aw, I hope she's not too mad."

"Well, she tried to make me feel guilty by saying that Meemaw is an older woman and who knows how long she has left. She thinks Meemaw should meet you."

"Oh, Sheldon," Penny said guiltily.

"No, no. None of that. Meemaw is in fine shape. She was just trying to make me feel bad. Besides, I told her we could come out…"

"I thought we agreed to spend Christmas in California," she quickly interrupted.

"We did," he gave her a stern look. "I said that we could come out to spend Easter with them."

"Easter?"

"Oh yes. My mother considers it the most important holy day of the entire year. She was over the moon as they say."

"Do you usually go home for Easter?"

"No. But, I knew that would definitely help her get over her distress of not getting to see us at Thanksgiving _or_ your beloved Christmas. I was right."

She looked at Sheldon adoringly, "That was really smart of you." She continued in a whisper. "And very kind."

"Yes, so I hope you are able to get some time off. I was thinking we could perhaps leave on Thursday and arrive back the following Monday. The family typically attends Easter vigil service on Saturday and we have a big family meal on Sunday. We'd have Friday to catch up, and then we can leave on Monday."

"I wish your brother or sister was married and had kids. Then, we could have a good old-fashioned Easter egg hunt! It's been years since I've done one of those."

Penny settled her head onto Sheldon's shoulder. The last thing she heard before drifting off was his droll voice: "Yes, I have no doubt you would want to participate in such a silly custom."

* * *

Penny woke up with about 30 minutes left in their journey. Unsurprisingly, Sheldon was wide awake, staring out the window.

"Enjoying the ride?" she asked.

"Very much so," he replied. "I have something I wish to ask of you."

"Okay?" she asked hesitantly.

"It has to do with your contract. You had said that in regards to the part about pregnancy, you knew you wouldn't have to worry about that."

"I did. Sheldon, that was weeks, months ago. Why, and _what_ are you asking all of the sudden?"

"Well, I suppose this is probably a very sensitive subject," he tried to keep his voice low. "Are you still regulating your hormones via pharmaceuticals?"

Penny stared at him blankly.

"Have you continued to stay on your birth control regimen?" he tried to be plain.

"Oh," her voice was quiet and unsure. "Well, no, I haven't been on birth control in a while."

"Well, see that is the thing. I have been performing deductive reasoning in my mind and nothing adds up. You don't expect to become pregnant, and yet you are not executing pre-caution so as to not become with child. With those factors in mind, how could you assert your confidence that such an event wouldn't occur?"

"You do realize how babies are conceived, Sheldon?" she asked only half-jokingly. "We are not _doing_ what would need to be done for a baby to happen."

"Yes, but how could you be so sure that something wouldn't happen eventually? There was that night after your friend's wedding that was particularly heated. How could you be sure that wouldn't happen again?"

Penny knew that Sheldon's words weren't marked by some desperate longing to be with her. He was just trying to wrap his brain around the common sense of it all. "I don't know. I don't know circumstances and situations. I don't know the future. I don't even know my own feelings half the time. But, I _know_ you. And, that's enough."

"You know me? You think I am devoid of such emotions, such desires? Are you saying that you've been with me all this time and still want to be with me, even though you don't think we'll ever participate in that act?"

"I don't think like that, Sheldon. I take things day by day, week by week. But, you are my best friend, and I know that at the end of it all, you are bound by your strict adherence to social protocol. _I trust you_. And, I know that no matter what happens you will _always_ do right by me. And, that's why I don't think I need to take birth control."

Sheldon closed his eyes, trying to comprehend her words. What did she mean?

* * *

After several miles of Penny pointing out landmarks outside the window and telling a few stories about her childhood and adolescence, they rolled into the Amtrak station; they were actually early.

Upon informing her family of their plans, Penny's parents had offered to pick them up and drop them off at the station. With the busy holiday, they had said they would be close to town anyway running errands, so it would not have been any trouble to come by and get them.

They grabbed their bags and headed inside the train station. It was very crowded, as would be expected the week of Thanksgiving. They decided to step outside and wait on a bench just outside the building.

Penny knew that her family would not be there yet. They didn't arrive early for anything. Her proclivity for arriving to work, or well anywhere, either right on time or slightly late was an inherited trait.

Sheldon reached over and squeezed her hand gently and let go. She looked up at him. "Penny, I am not sure how much alone time we will have together for the next few days, so…"

She knew what he was saying and what he was planning, so she cut him off with her lips. They spent the next few minutes sweetly kissing as the sound of the trains and its passengers buzzed around them.

They broke apart the final time, anticipating that their ride would be approaching any minute now. Sheldon spoke again, "Penny, before your family gets here, I just want you to know…I love you."

Her eyes went wide, as she definitely did not see that coming. Her green eyes were dancing with joy and his blue eyes stared into her, hoping to convey his feelings with one look. She was still reeling from the unexpected, when she choked out, "Sheldon…I love you too?"

"You are unsure?"

"No! Not at all. I'm just so surprised. I can't believe it. I'm very sure. I love you," she stated more confidently as she pulled him into a tight hug.

* * *

Penny's sister pulled up, driving her Dad's old pickup truck. They exchanged greetings and hugs.

"Sheldon, this is Bonnie. Bonnie, this is the guy that I have told you so much about." She gave a shy but intent look to Sheldon. He knew what that meant. She wanted him to know that she had been talking about him with her family and close friends. From his experience, that occurred when the female was so enamored with a gentleman that she couldn't help but gush about him. Or that she hated him and wanted him gone, he thought to himself. He was pretty sure it was the former.

"Heya," Bonnie said brightly. "You're much taller in person," she held out her hand.

Formal as ever, he replied, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Bonnie."

Bonnie and Penny certainly looked like sisters, but not obviously so. They were similar in height; Bonnie was not overweight, but she was broad, even more so than Penny. She had broad shoulders and seemed very sturdy. Sheldon assumed that was attributed to a lifetime of farm labor. Her hair was straight, but it was a dirty blonde, almost a mousy brown color. It was pulled back in a ponytail. She seemed to have more freckles and sunspots all over her face, no doubt from the days working in the sun. But, their smiles…their smiles were the same- vivid and full of kindness.

Bonnie helped them get their luggage into the truck bed, and they piled into the vehicle. Sheldon followed Penny to the passenger side, and before getting in whispered to her frantically, "Penny, are you sure our valuables should be back there? They do not seem too secure, and who knows about how the elements will treat them."

"Sheldon, the elements will treat them fine. There is no room up front. Where else will we put them? You want to put them up front, and we ride in the back?"

Her question was laced with sarcasm, so he knew not to take her seriously. However, this did not stop Sheldon from not saying a word the whole way back. His mind was busy daydreaming about being in the back of a pickup truck, lying back with his arms around Penny, staring up at the Texas night sky.

* * *

Penny's home was exactly as Sheldon had imagined it: a quaint farmhouse on lots of land. There was an expansive front porch, with rocking chairs sitting right in front of a large picture window. Out front, there was a large tree; it appeared to be Elm, with a tire swing hanging down. It wasn't Texas, he thought to himself, but it was Penny.

Only her mother and father were at the house to greet them. He quickly learned that her brother Brent was akin to the Lord Voldemort of this family. He-who-must-not-be-named. He observed that anytime one of the family members referred to him or came close to saying his name, everyone shot up, wide-eyed and shaking their heads. Often, they nodded toward Penny's mother, Eileen, who had a pained look on her face.

Sheldon sat back in silence and let the group catch up. Bonnie's son and on again husband would be joining them on Thanksgiving. Bonnie was a homemaker, and cultivated produce on her own property to sell. She acknowledged it was just a hobby, something to do on the side while her husband was at work and her son at school. Sheldon felt badly, as he had typically thought of people like Bonnie as unskilled or simple minded. She was a sweet woman who loved what she did, and apparently, did a good job at it.

Another thing he felt even more badly about was the way he had spoken about Eileen to Penny before they had gotten together. He should not have mocked her mother's weight, although what he said hadn't been _un_true, he thought. She did carry some extra weight on her, but he considered it unfair to compare his unusually thin mother to Penny's. Eileen had, after all, given birth to three children, and weight gain was not uncommon. Moreover, Eileen was kind and warm. She did not sit down the whole time the family was talking. She was darting back and forth between cleaning and cooking and laundry. She only ever stopped for a minute or two to join in on the conversation, then returned to her tasks. While she was slightly overweight, Sheldon found her to be a charming, lovely woman, with one unmistakable characteristic. Penny had her mother's eyes.

* * *

Sheldon found out it was somewhat a tradition that Penny and her family did not eat at home the week of Thanksgiving. Because Eileen was so busy with preparations, Wyatt had always considered it appropriate to alleviate her stress.

That evening, they decided to keep things simple, and order pizza. Bonnie went home to take care of her own family, so it would just be the four of them.

"Actually, Dad, if you don't mind me driving, Sheldon and I could go pick it up," Penny offered. While her parents had newer vehicles, there was something about driving that beat up old truck that made her feel at home.

"Sure, do you want us to call it in?"

"Um, no. We'll wait and order once we get down there, so Sheldon can decide what he wants." Penny knew that Sheldon would need to inspect the pizza parlor for cleanliness before he would ever agree to a single bite. Also, it would give them a little bit of alone time.

"Okay, well your mom and I will take our usual." Wyatt pulled out his wallet and held out cash. It was sweet that no matter how old she got, Penny's dad still wanted to help her out.

She held up her hand. "No, Dad, I've got it." He then handed her the keys. Penny and Sheldon grabbed their coats and walked outside.

* * *

Sheldon was not a fan of rickety vehicles, especially the kinds that jerked and made noises. However, there was something about riding in an old truck that made him oddly homesick.

"Penny, I notice that this truck's dashboard is not up to modern standards. But, if it was, I assure you, its 'Check Engine' light would be on."

Thankfully, with her new job, Penny had been able to trade in her old car for a newer car. It was still used but had low mileage and was much safer. Who was she kidding, trade in? She was pretty sure the salesman felt sorry for her, accepted her car as a trade, and then scrapped it.

She smiled. "Good times, huh?"

* * *

They arrived to Jack's Pizza, named very simply after the owner. "Jack's," Sheldon said with disdain. "How creative."

She glared at him. "Yes, because Giacamo's is so much more brilliant."

They headed to the building, and Sheldon held the door to allow her to go inside. The inside seemed acceptable to him. It was rather busy for a Tuesday night. But, it seemed clean and well kept. The staff seemed young but efficient.

While Omaha was not a small town, by any means, the little outskirt where her family lived seemed like one. She saw several people she knew and politely waved or said hello. She explained to the hostess that they were placing an order to go, but they wouldn't mind a seat while they waited.

They had to wait about 5 minutes, but they finally secured a small table.

"Penny, do you think they would be reluctant to let me inspect the kitchen area?"

"I don't know, but I know _I_ would be."

"Fine, let me excuse myself to the restroom." He knew that if their restrooms were to his satisfaction, it would give him peace of mind. Before he left, he looked at Penny. "The usual?"

"That's fine," she nodded.

When the server came by, Penny ordered a large Canadian bacon, a medium sausage, mushroom, and light olive, and an order of garlic cheese bread.

Sheldon returned shortly and sat down. "I have found sufficient evidence that this establishment conducts itself properly."

"I'm sure they'll be glad to hear it."

Sheldon felt something knock his foot underneath the table. He looked to his left and to his right, wondering if he was imagining things.

He felt it again, and this time he knew he was not imagining things. He looked up and stared at Penny with a questioning look. They had eaten many meals together and up until now, they had never participated in the juvenile practice of footsie. She just sat there, biting her lip, holding back a grin.

Penny took her foot and slid it underneath his pants legs, and rubbed gently against his lower shin, just above his socks. Sheldon cleared his throat loudly. "Um, so Penny," he found it hard to maintain eye contact. "Your father seems to be a very generous man. I don't understand why you have such a difficult relationship."

Penny sighed and placed her foot on the floor, but left it up against Sheldon's foot, enjoying the small contact too much to let go. "I was silly. He was never a bad father. I'm lucky that we have been able to re-connect our relationship these past couple of years."

"What about all the Slugger business?"

"My father is a good man, but I am sure you see that he has a gruff side to him." Sheldon nodded. "He raised both us girls as tomboys. And, you know, I am glad he did. I _love_ football. And, I am strong. I'm not afraid to use a baseball bat to protect myself. I have never felt like there was a single thing I couldn't do because I was a girl."

Penny looked down. "When I came of age," she rolled her eyes at such an awkward phrase. "I became very physical with boys, and I blamed him. I blamed him for letting guys do whatever they wanted with me. I blamed him for me losing my innocence so early. I convinced myself that my poor decisions and low self-esteem were a direct result of him never treating me like a woman. I felt I was acting out to spite him."

Sheldon reached across and took her hand loosely. They were able to look into each other's eyes.

"I was wrong, and even then, I knew it. It was my insecurity that drove me to do the things I did. Guys didn't seem to like me. No one even kissed me till I was 15! I knew there had to be a reason, and I had to blame it on something. Being Slugger was it. And, he didn't stop calling me that and playing catch with me because I grew boobs. He was upset with me that I would just give my body away the way I did."

"Penny, I did not know you in your youth, but I am certain that the reason boys didn't talk to you or kiss you was a likely combination of your beauty and the probability that you could beat them up."

"Well, you are smart and reasonable. You are probably right. But, a teenaged girl is the complete opposite of reasonable."

"Well, then I shall hope our progeny shall all be boys."

A lump was caught in Penny's throat. The matter-of-fact way he spoke of their future children with so much certainty made her sure she was about to cry.

Luckily, she was saved, as their pizzas (and garlic cheese bread) arrived at precisely that moment. Sheldon took the boxes, and Penny fished out some money to pay for the order. She liked that he let her pay for things sometimes. Sheldon was well-mannered, and most of the time, he did pick up the check. But, when she chose to pay, very rarely did he try to stop her. It was different from the way Leonard had always insisted to pay in order to take care of her…from Sheldon it was an acknowledgement that she had built a successful life in her own right, and she could take care of herself. And that he was proud of her.

* * *

There was never any discussion about where they would sleep. Penny was in her old room, and Sheldon took the room right across the hall, Bonnie's old room that had been converted to a guest room.

Penny hadn't even planned to suggest that they stay together. Even though they shared the bed some nights back in Pasadena, she didn't feel the need to force that arrangement upon her parents. She didn't know what they would have said, but she didn't think about it much, because the current arrangement seemed obvious to her.

After the night of chatting and pizza had settled down, Eileen turned in early and everyone else followed suit. Even though they wouldn't be sharing a bed, they still wanted to end the evening as they usually did…with each other.

They were both in Penny's room on her bed, facing each other, sitting Indian style, but close enough they their feet tangled occasionally. They talked quietly about their day, about past Thanksgivings and traditions, how Thanksgiving would be celebrated when they had a family of their own.

It was after midnight when Wyatt stood in the doorway. "Long day tomorrow, you two. You may want to get some rest."

"Sorry, Dad. We were just talking and lost track of time."

"Yes, well…..good night, Slugger." He disappeared down the hall.

Sheldon's eyes fixated on Penny, as she stared at the doorway in a daze, her mouth slightly open, lips trembling.

He got to his feet, and started for his room. Penny followed him and they stood in her doorway; she was looking up at him shyly. He leaned down to give her a good-night peck on the lips.

She stopped his progress. "Wait, Sheldon." She pulled him inside her room, and shut the door quietly. Then, Penny pushed him against the door firmly and gave him a searing kiss. There was nothing chaste about this kiss. It was all fire and want and need. He wanted to place his hands around her waist, but considering he was in her father's home, he just held them in the air, four inches on either side of her waist.

She stepped back and held her chest, breathing heavily. He too was heaving from the intensity of that kiss.

He swallowed, and reached back to turn the doorknob. There was something in her eyes that said 'Don't.' In one swift move, he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her body to his. He kissed her hungrily, and she kissed back just as fiercely. He pulled his mouth from hers and started kissing along her jaw and neckline, every so often letting his tongue taste her skin.

He heard and felt the back of Penny's legs make contact with the bed. Her hands had made their way underneath his pajama top and undershirt, and then, she gripped them both at the bottom.

"Wait, the door," he whispered. He turned around and went back to the door to lock it. But, he didn't lock it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw some photos from her childhood perched on a bookshelf. In some, she was as young as four or five. In many, she was with family and friends, looking so young and happy. In one, she saw a picture of a pre-teen Penny and her father, holding up a fish, both beaming proudly.

He exhaled, and turned back to her.

She let out a breath too, and she could sense what was coming. Sheldon stepped to her and held her in his arms. He squeezed her tightly to himself. They just stood there, holding each other, for several minutes. At last, Sheldon stepped back and looked down at her. She stepped close to him, pulled herself up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, Sheldon," she said quietly.

"Goodnight," he replied, letting himself out of her room.

"Leave the door open! Please" she implored of him. He did as she asked.

* * *

The next day, Eileen woke up early. She had a long day of work ahead of her, but first she was going to run down to Thorne's Bakery to pick up some muffins and doughnuts for everybody.

She was already showered and dressed, so all she needed to do was inaudibly make her way down the hall, down the stairs, grab her purse, and head out the door. She had made the same journey every Saturday morning when her children were well, children.

As she tiptoed down the hall, she stopped when she got to Penny's and Bonnie's bedrooms, and was met with a sight that she would always take with her, the rest of her life. She didn't know whether it was done intentionally or subconsciously. She looked to her left and looked to her right. Both her sweet daughter and her handsome boyfriend, had moved their pillows to the foot of their beds, so that they could look across the hall and see each other.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** I do not own The Big Bang Theory or the wonderful Penny and Sheldon. I do own the dream, though._

* * *

Penny opened her eyes, and was very surprised to see that the last face she saw before she went to sleep was still there. She thought back to the night before as she watched him sleep.

_She laid back in her bad and stared up at the ceiling. She was still catching her breath. She couldn't believe how he had grabbed her. He seemed so sure of himself._

_He had also seemed so sure of their future together. He talked about their future children as if they were an absolute inevitability. He even brought up the question of whether they would alternate Thanksgivings or host it in their home, once they were married with a family of their own. Sheldon rarely did anything like that out of whimsy or just for the fun of it. If he was thinking about it, it meant…..he was thinking about it._

_And she went along with it. She had never felt this comfortable before in a relationship. They were talking about their future together without a care in the world. It wasn't stifling. It wasn't scary. It didn't make her want to run for the hills._

_For some reason unknown to herself, she scooted to the end of her bed and looked across the hallway. She saw the form of his legs and feet wrapped up in the bed. She moved back to the top of her bed and grabbed her pillow. There was also a bottle of nail polish on her night stand. She picked it up too._

_She shimmied her way to the opposite end of the bed, and pushed herself under the covers, laying her head on top of the pillow. "Sheldon," she whispered. Nothing. "Sheldon, are you awake?" she whispered a little but louder. Still nothing._

_She looked down at the nail polish in her hand. She knew she could make the throw across the hall. She just had to make sure it landed on the bed; surely that would be enough motion to get his attention. She slightly sat up, reached her arm back, and threw the nail polish toward the bed._

_She smiled smugly to herself, as the bottle landed right on the bed. She then saw Sheldon stirring in the bed. He sat up and looked across the hall at her. She wordlessly pointed down at her pillow, and motioned for him to do the same with his. Even from across the hall in the relative darkness, she knew he was rolling his eyes._

_But, that didn't stop him from getting up, tucking the covers in, and then pulling the covers out from the end of the bed. He plopped down, and just as he was getting settled, the nail polish started to roll…_

_It seemed like it happened in slow motion, but the bottle rolled off the bed, making a loud thud as it hit the wooden floor below. Penny brought her fingers to her lips. "Shhhhh!" Sheldon held out his hands, as if to ask, "What do you want me to do about it now?"_

_At that point, Penny heard rustling and a door open. She knew one of her parents had heard the commotion. Her eyes went wide, and she looked directly into Sheldon's eyes. She shifted her eyes to the side to indicate someone was coming, as if he didn't already know. She mouthed "I love you" to him desperately, like they were in some cheesy romance novel, about to get dragged apart by the villain._

_He didn't say anything back to her. However, she saw his hand slowly raise, with the index finger, pinkie, and thumbs extended, into the "I love you" sign. She closed her eyes, smiled, and let herself fall into peaceful slumber._

Typically, Sheldon did sleep rigidly on his back, but since they started sleeping together, it was not unusual for him to curl up in bed. Looking over at him, Penny thought he looked so serene, with a content face under those long, thick eyelashes of his. She had to mentally stop herself from going over and kissing those eyes open or crawling into bed with him.

* * *

After far too long watching him sleep, Penny dragged herself out of bed and walked over to her closet. She took out a ratty old robe that she had kept since high school and wrapped it around herself. She snuck quietly through the hall and down the stairs.

Coming down the stairs, she saw her parents in the living room, also wearing pajamas. They were curled up on the couch, with the television on. They each had plates on their laps. Her dad had a doughnut, and her mom was picking at a muffin. The scene before her made Penny feel more at peace in this house than she had in years. All of the years of being at odds with her father, all of the years of feeling like she wasn't good enough and they expected her to fail, all those years had melted away. For once, she felt like any other girl, coming home and re-living the best of her childhood.

"G'morning," she groggily greeted.

"Thorne's in the kitchen," Eileen replied.

In this old farmhouse, the setup was not open concept. The kitchen was actually walled off from the living room. She disappeared around the corner, and saw a big white pastry box sitting on the kitchen counter. She picked up one white doughnut, placed it on a plate, and slipped it into the microwave for safe keeping. She then grabbed another just like it and a handful of cream-filled doughnut holes and returned to the living room.

She noticed that her parents were actually watching _her_ show, _Youth Chat Daily_.

"Wow, I didn't know we even had this channel," she smiled.

"Neither did we!" Wyatt piped up. "I guess you learn something new every day."

Eileen added, "We DVR your show every day. When we get time, usually on the weekends, we make a marathon of it."

"We haven't seen the last few episodes; it would be a real treat to watch them with the star of the show."

"I'm hardly the star," Penny rebuffed. "But, I would be happy to watch them with you."

Wyatt pressed some buttons on the remote, and the show started playing. During some of the pre-taped segments and non-Penny parts, her parents had lots of questions.

"So, honey, how do these kids have time to tape the episodes every day? Do you do it in the evenings?" her mother asked.

"No, actually, we do all our tapings with the teens on Saturday. We tape eight hours, straight through. We also do four outfit changes. That usually gives us enough material for five days' worth of shows."

"Clever," her dad remarked.

"Yeah. When we have guests or I have to go out into the field, that kind of work is done pretty much anytime. Once summer comes around, they will break things up into a couple of four hour days; it makes things a little easier."

They sat there watching her show for a couple of hours. Her parents were fascinated and constantly had questions, mostly about the kids themselves. She thought it was so cute how her parents went back and forth bickering.

"Now, Wyatt, I am telling you…_that_ girl has a crush on _that_ boy. You can just tell."

"And I am telling _you_ that if barely making eye contact and turning red every time they are near each other is her way of showing interest, then I will never understand women!"

Wyatt turned to Penny. "By the way, that guy in the blue, Pete is it? Well, he has taken a little too much of a liking to you, Champ. Someone needs to sit down and have a talk with him."

She rolled her eyes at her father's protective nature, but internally felt happiness. Her parents had taken an interest in her life, in her career. And, if she was sensing it correctly, it felt like pride.

Penny looked up at the clock. 10 am?! And, Sheldon wasn't up yet? She was worried. Was he avoiding them? Was he sick? Had he fallen in the shower? Did her parents have adhesive ducks?

Just then, she heard steps coming down the stairs. Sheldon was in his pajamas and rubbing his eyes like a little boy.

"Have a seat," Eileen started. "I will bring you some breakfast."

Penny stopped her. "Don't worry about it mom. Play the next episode. I will help Sheldon find something to eat." She stood up and motioned him to the kitchen, and he followed.

* * *

Once out of sight from her parents, she wrapped her arms around Sheldon's neck and kissed his cheek….then his jaw….then his lips, but just briefly. "I was getting worried about you."

"Oh, well, Penny, my routine when on vacation or while visiting over holidays is actually that there _is_ no routine. I sleep in. My food requirements are less structured. I suppose I should have told you."

"No biggie," she replied. "My parents and I had a chance to catch up. And, I'm glad you got to catch up on some rest." She moved toward the microwave.

"I saved you the best doughnut ever." She pulled out the white pastry.

"Oh?" he looked at the treat curiously.

"Yep. I really don't even know what they are officially called. Just 'Penny's favorite.' Anytime Mom or Dad went down to the bakery, it was just, 'Don't forget Penny's favorite.' But, they are really, really good."

"Go on," he challenged.

"Well, they are just a regular doughnut…"

"By regular, I assume you mean the traditional yeast doughnut."

"And they are filled with a cream cheese custard..."

"Now, when you say custard, are you certain that it is an actual egg-based mixture, or are you just referring to any thick cream as a custard?"

"And, then it is dipped in powd…" Penny caught herself. "_Confectioner's_ sugar."

"More commonly known as _powdered_ sugar," Sheldon finished smugly.

She held the doughnut in her hand and placed it up to his mouth. He took a small bite and gave her a look that indicated he liked it.

"Actually, I think I might just start calling you Doughnut," she teased.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

She held up the doughnut again for him to take another bite. This time, however, she smushed the pastry into his face, getting filling and powdered sugar all over his face. She quickly put the doughnut down onto the box and grabbed his wrists forcefully. She knew his instinct would be to grab for a towel.

"Because you are nummy nummy, and I could just eat you up," she giggled as she went to kiss and lick all the sweetness off his lips, nose, chin; somehow some even got onto his forehead. She was giddy as she lapped up each inch of sugar until he was mostly clean again.

He took his own tongue and rubbed it around his lips and onto his cheeks and chin as far as his tongue would reach, to get any excess that Penny may have missed.

"So let me get this straight," Sheldon's voice was measured. "When in a courtship, the action of one partner feeding the other with the intention of getting said food all over the other is _customary_?" He furrowed his brows.

Sheldon picked up what was left of the smashed doughnut and took a bite.

"It is," she replied.

"Well then," he spoke carefully. "I believe there may be a factor that those who participate in such customs neglect to take into consideration. An ill-advised effect, if you will."

Was he mad? She knew he was very strict about cleanliness and people touching his food, but he was so easygoing about his routine that she just went with it. "What's that?"

Sheldon drew very close to her face and lowered his voice. When he spoke, his voice wasn't upset or suggestive. It was devilish. "Reciprocity."

Just then, he pulled open her robe and pushed the doughnut against Penny's chest, closer to her neck than anything else. He laughed as she stood there in shock. "Sheldon!" she yelled in a whisper.

Then, he pulled back the robe again and dove right underneath it, actively licking her chest clean.

"Shel-_don_," Penny whispered with urgency, knowing her parents were in the next room and they could be caught at any moment.

Sheldon pulled back, standing straight up, licking his lips. He seemed pleased with himself. Penny walked over to the counter and grabbed some paper towels. She ran them under the tap, and handed one piece to Sheldon. They wiped themselves off, trying to get rid of any remaining stickiness.

The entire interaction was not sexual in the least. It was marked by pure, unadulterated silliness.

"Penny!" her mother yelled from the living room. "I have a question about this clip with the missionary that traveled to Cambodia!"

"Coming, Mom!"

* * *

Shortly before noon, Penny, her mother, and Sheldon were standing in the kitchen. Eileen was getting ingredients and recipes prepared, and Penny was putting away dishes.

Sheldon spoke up: "Are you sure there isn't anything I can help with?"

Eileen waved her hand dismissively. "No, no. Don't worry about it."

"Actually, Mom, Sheldon is an excellent baker," Penny bragged. "He has made me banana bread before. And zucchini bread, too."

"Is that so?" Eileen continued working.

"Yes," Sheldon said. "I have impeccable attention to detail and am very precise with my measurements. Plus, I follow instructions to the letter. Those qualities lend well to my baking skill."

"See?" Penny added.

"Also, I baked with my Meemaw a lot growing up. We spent a lot of time together, and much of it, was in the kitchen. Plus, when my brother and father were out…er, working…I was left with my mother and sister."

"Ahh, very good. So you know how to treat a woman," Eileen mused.

"Well, I certainly know how _not_ to treat a woman," Sheldon replied, straight-faced.

Just then, Bonnie walked through the doorway to the kitchen, carrying a paper sack. "Let's get this party started!"

Eileen dropped what she was doing and started to shoo Sheldon out of the kitchen. "Okay, mister, scoot. Scoot! You can go visit with my husband."

Sheldon marched to the living room and settled into a chair. The whole thing should have seemed archaic and misogynistic almost. The women in the kitchen preparing the Thanksgiving meal, with the men sitting on their kiesters doing nothing?

His mind wandered, inexplicably, to Amy.

She was an intellectual powerhouse. She would have never fallen into this type of schematic. Her mind was above such domestication. How ordinary. How pedestrian, he thought to himself.

"So, son, tell me about your work," Wyatt prodded.

"Excuse me sir, I need to call someone." Sheldon hazily replied, excusing himself up the stairs.

* * *

He scrolled through his contacts and pressed Amy's number. It rang three times, and he heard her monotonous voice.

_Hello?_

"Amy Farrah Fowler? This is Sheldon Cooper."

_Yes, Sheldon, how may I help you?_

"I'd like to talk about what…..a future with you may entail."

_I'm sorry? I don't follow._

"As you know, tomorrow is the traditional holiday of Thanksgiving. If you were to be married with children, how do you anticipate such a holiday transpires?"

_Well I imagine that we would travel to either my mother's or more likely, my husband's family's homes._

"Take those possibilities out of the equation. In this hypothetical, it would be only your immediate family at your own home."

Amy went silent for a little while. "Amy?"

_Thinking, Sheldon._ After another moment, she went on. _I imagine I would likely order one of those complete meals that various restaurants such as Boston Market offer during that time of year. Or perhaps we would find an establishment that offered customary selections open during the day._

"And if your husband suggests that he would prefer a homemade meal instead?"

_Sheldon, where are you going with this?_

"While my question is psychological in nature, perhaps I could tap into your neurology expertise? My troubles may be traceable to a chemical imbalance, for example."

_Continue._

"I find myself in a situation that I should loathe. I am reminded of when my mother would take care of my father. She did so selflessly, and he was most undeserving of it. No matter how little he did to help her, no matter of what misgivings he himself was a part, there she was every night, doing her wifely duties."

_I believe your mother's primary concern was likely her responsibility to provide for her three children. I trust you were fed, clothed, kept healthy?_

"I was."

_Then, I fail to see your logic._

"As one of her three children, I would have much preferred she belly up, as they say, to my father. Take us and flee. Stand up for herself, and us. Something."

_Be that as it may…_

"I'm lucky I got out of there when I did! Can you imagine if I had stayed there until the age of maturation?" Sheldon's underlying anger with his mother was bubbling to the surface. "I would have grown to believe that _that_ kind of life is _normal_!"

_Your mother did the best she could._

"Yes, she did. She settled. She settled for mediocrity. A borderline-abusive husband and a life as a pseudo-slave. That was the best she could do." He was not being sarcastic. He was bitter.

_Perhaps you should consult a professional on these matters. I'm not really qualified…_

"What did she teach us, Amy? That it is okay to be a doormat? This was the only father figure I had in my life, and he and my mother taught us what it is to be a man. Neglectful, hurtful, unfaithful. Look at Missy! She is going to settle for some deadbeat that treats her like garbage. And Junior?! He can't keep a steady job _or_ a steady girlfriend to save his life!"

_Should you get married someday, the same thing will not happen with you._

"Do you know how many people stop and tell me, 'You are just like him'? They mean it as a compliment. Or perhaps they are commenting on my resemblance to him. It's in my genetics. How can you be sure it won't happen?"

_Because,_ Amy stated patiently, _you're **not** just like him._

"I feel I have veered off course. I am in a home where the women are doing the cooking and the men aren't doing much of anything."

_Ok?_

"And, I _don't_ find it wrong. That's the issue. I should feel disgusted. It should feel sexist. I don't feel any of that. It seems kind of nice. I don't find it horrible at all. That's my fear."

_Sheldon, you are not your father. And sometimes, a woman cooking for you is **just** a woman cooking for you. Perhaps the reason you don't feel horrible about it is because you know deep in your heart that you are not objectifying the women anymore than they are preparing a meal out of fear._

"That does make sense."

_I really do need to go now. I hope I've been able to help._

"Yes. Thank you. Goodbye, Amy Farrah Fowler."

_Goodbye._

* * *

In the kitchen, Eileen pulled several balls of dough out of the refrigerator and set them on the countertop.

"So, what's on the agenda for today mom?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, we will do most of the desserts, I think. I already made the banana cream pie. I got the green beans started yesterday. The dressing is ready to go and in the fridge. It just needs to go in the oven. And the rolls. As much that requires baking today, so that tomorrow, all we have to worry about is the bird."

"Great!" Bonnie grabbed an apron and wrapped it around her waist.

"Penny, dear," her mother cooed. "Would you mind cutting up the vegetables and making the dip?"

"No problem, mom." She grabbed a cutting board and a knife.

"In the fridge, there are carrots, green peppers, stalks of celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and cauliflower. The tray is already out. It is on the dining room table."

Penny ran the veggies under some water, while Bonnie and Eileen worked on rolling out pie crust dough. She grabbed the tray out of the dining room, and set it down next to the cutting board. One by one, she chopped the vegetables and arranged them in the tray. Once done, she placed Saran wrap around it and placed it in the refrigerator.

She then peeked inside the fridge, and grabbed some buttermilk and a jar of mayonnaise. There was some dip mix in the cupboard. She eyeballed the ingredients and started to whisk together a dip to accompany the vegetables. Every so often, she would dip a finger into the mixture and give it a taste. Even though she made sure to use a different finger each time, she could just imagine the priceless look on her boyfriend's face if he caught her putting her fingers in shared food.

She placed a lid on the bowl and placed it inside the fridge to thicken. "Now what?"

"Deviled eggs?" Eileen offered.

"Can do," Penny smiled brightly. "Oh hey, Bon, what's in the sack?" She looked inside the paper bag and pulled out a large Ziploc bag with noodles inside. "Did you _make_ these?"

"Oh, yeah," Bonnie said nonchalantly while trying to get her pie dough perfectly into the pan. "It is super easy to do."

"Wow, homemade noodles," Penny remarked.

"Well, there wasn't going to be a lot of room here, and there was plenty of room at my place to let the noodles dry. Mom let me borrow her noodle maker. Like I said, it wasn't hard at all."

Penny felt a pang in her stomach. She knew that her sister and mother's culinary skills were superior to hers. She always felt she could hold her own in the kitchen, though. She loved it out in California, but days like these made it wish she were closer, so that her mother could teach her how to be a wizard in the kitchen.

Her mind drifted to Mary Cooper, the woman who truly _was _a wizard in the kitchen. Sheldon was a picky eater, but there was nothing his mother made that he hadn't raved to her about before. Mary had even cooked for them once, and as promised, it could not be beat. She really didn't want her kids being raised on take-out food. But, how would she ever compare to Mary Cooper?

"Sweetie, the eggs are already hard-boiled; they are in a carton in the fridge," Eileen prompted.

"Okay, great," she said half-heartedly. She grabbed the eggs and started to peel them over the sink. After grabbing a new cutting board, she halved them and scooped the yolks into a bowl.

She was really lucky she hadn't cut herself, as she was not completely paying attention while she was working on the eggs. It took a voice to snap her out of her reverie.

"Penny?" She looked up and saw Sheldon standing in the doorway. "May I have a word?"

"Yeah, sure." She followed Sheldon into the dining room. He spoke with such significance she was worried she was in trouble. "What is it?"

"I wish to inquire as to why you and your mother and sister are in the kitchen working."

"Well, the meal has to get made somehow, silly."

"Why doesn't your father help?"

"Because, if he tried, my mother would whip him with a towel until he left."

Sheldon sighed. "It doesn't feel right that you gals are cooped up in a kitchen all day."

"Sweetie, it is a tradition. We do it because we _like_ it. It's fun! It is only one time a year."

"Is it also tradition that your father reaps the benefits of your labor without contributing?" he asked darkly.

"Watch it. That's my Daddy you are talking about. He works hard all year. He makes money. He provides for the family. He has done more than enough."

Realization dawned on Sheldon. "So, the contributions to the marriage are not structured in a way that is alike or even similar?"

She shrugged. "It is an unspoken understanding that they have. That's all they need."

Sheldon leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "Okay. I suppose I should go in there and converse with your father now?"

"You should. But, if you ask him what he's watching, he'll tell you all about it, and then you guys can watch whatever is on TV in silence. Just a tip."

Penny went back to her eggs and grinned when she heard Sheldon in the living room.

"So, what are you watching?"

* * *

After a couple of hours, Sheldon had retired to his temporary bedroom. He had brought his laptop with him, and there was some work he could be doing.

Other than the TV and DVR, there wasn't a lick of technology in the whole house. No iPads, iPods, computers, and unfortunately for him, no wireless internet.

Penny had explained to him that their land was situated in a specific spot that the internet signal was very poor, so they didn't see the point in paying for it. Wyatt usually took care of his personal emails and other social activity at work. Their Skype sessions were held over at Bonnie's home.

So, while he would not be able to access the internet, he could still read and edit some papers and fiddle around with his software programs. He laughed to himself; he could never understand how slaving away in a kitchen for hours was Penny's idea of fun, just like she would never be able to understand how _this_ was fun to _him_.

He was able to proofread two research proposals, and then he shut the laptop and walked downstairs. By that time, it was around sundown, and Bonnie had gone home to tend to her own family. As he came down the stairs, he glanced in the kitchen and saw Penny and her mother washing and drying dishes. It appeared they were done for the day.

He realized Penny had not given him a formal tour of the house. He had already seen much of the upstairs. So, he decided to show himself around the main level. He walked toward the front of the house. Directly behind the living room, with the foyer between them was what appeared to be a shrine to the children. It could have been used as a formal living area or an office. But, apparently not needing the room, Wyatt and Eileen used it to honor their kids.

There were photos on the wall and framed newspaper articles. He noticed some ribbons strewn along the walls, no doubt from Penny's State Fair and Junior Rodeo days. He saw a large photo of Bonnie holding a pie, and on the frame a ribbon was attached, indicating she had won First Prize in the local 4H baking contest. There were photos of graduations, and on one wall, an 11 x 17 framed photo from Ryan and Bonnie's wedding. It was a beautiful family portrait.

On the ground, there were several short bookshelves and tables. There were yearbooks stacked, hand imprinted plaster, Kindergarten art, and all the little things from over the years. On top of one bookshelf, he saw three baskets, sitting in a row. He sifted through it, and saw that they were greeting cards, handmade and store-bought, from each of the kids; it looked like Wyatt and Eileen had kept every single one they had ever received. The last basket, Brent's, was much emptier than the other two. Bonnie's, no surprise, was the fullest.

Noticeably absent from the memorabilia was anything from Brent's youth. Sheldon wondered to himself if that was an indication that Brent had no worthwhile achievements, or if they had purged those items, out of pain.

Sheldon enjoyed the walk down memory lane. He enjoyed reading the articles and looking at the photos. What surprised him the most was that not only was he excited to learn new things about Penny; he actually enjoyed learning about Bonnie too, and subsequently, the kinds of things that Wyatt and Eileen valued. He liked getting to know them. Something tugged on his heart, and he realized that mysteriously, he cared for them.

He briefly analyzed how such an occurrence happened. How could he feel such a connection to people he barely knew and hadn't talked to much? In his gut, though, he knew. It was Penny. She was inside of him, in his bones. When she was sad, he was sad. When she was excited, he was excited. And, he felt her love for her family inside of him, and he loved them too.

* * *

He moved on down the hallway that extended from the foyer. At the end of the hallway, straight ahead was the dining room, which was just off the kitchen. It had a really nice butcher block style table, with benches on either side. In the hallway, he opened a door to his left. It appeared to descend into either a basement or cellar. On his right, one door he knew was to a half bath. The other, upon opening, he found out was a closet.

Just before getting to the dining room, however, he noticed a small alcove to his right. It was not very wide…only wide enough for a small sofa, a table, and two chairs opposite the sofa. It appeared to be a den. On the far wall was a fireplace, flanked by built-in bookshelves, which were filled to the max with books. It was very dark in tone, as the side walls were both covered in non-tacky wood paneling. He saw a stack of newspapers on the table. There was a large globe in the corner of the room.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a nice chess set. He smiled like a cheshire cat; perhaps he could entice Penny into joining him for a game of chess.

He took the chess set and put it on the table, and then sat down on the couch to get it set up. It was then that he noticed that Penny and her mother had moved to the dining room and he could hear their conversation…..that is, if he was really quiet.

He tried to convince himself that it wasn't eavesdropping if a) he was innocently in the den, preparing for a game of chess and b) they were talking loud enough that he could hear them. He decided that their conversation would not be of much interest to him, so he picked up a paper and started to read.

_So what do you think of Sheldon?_ he heard Penny ask nervously.

And, with that, he was finished with the newspaper.

_He's a bit quiet, but very polite. And you are positively glowing._

If any other species were out there observing them, Sheldon was sure they would have seen his chest puff up.

_He is polite. And charming. And intelligent. And he treats me right._

_Dad will be happy about that._

_He's my best friend._ Sheldon closed his eyes at Penny's statement.

_Mom, can I share something with you, but you cannot share it with Dad? Just between us?_

_Honey, you know your father and I try not to keep any secrets from each other. You're not pregnant, are you?_

_No!_ Penny let out. _Just the opposite. It's not a major secret or anything; it's just I know that if Dad knows, he will be all over Sheldon like a coondog on a hambone. I don't want Dad to scare him._

_Well, I can't promise anything, but I will try my hardest._

_We've not been together, physically, yet._ Sheldon knew he should stop listening, but he couldn't pull his ears away. T_his is the weird part. I've never felt so desired and wanted by a man in my entire life- emotionally, mentally, **and** physically. How is it possible that after all the men that have chased after me, the ones that pawed at me, and the ones that have actually **been** with me, that I feel more wanted by him than anyone else?_

_Hard to say, Pen. Not that I am upset, but is there a reason you guys haven't gone that far, yet?_

_Not really any one reason, no._ Penny lowered her voice, but Sheldon heard it anyway. _I think he may be a virgin. But, I am not bothered by that. We are just taking things really slow. I know **I'm** not a virgin, but when I'm with him, I feel like he treats me like one. It feels…good._

_Good for you. You deserve someone who will treat you with respect. But, this new-found self-respect, the fact that you don't feel the need to throw yourself at him just to keep his attention, well that's even better._

_I've stopped taking birth control, you know._ Penny laughed. _How many years was I on those pills? I'm no doctor, but ever since I stopped taking them, I feel better, I feel healthier. It may be all in my head, or that the pills were having side effects. Or just the fact that I am so happy right now, with my life and career. _

_Penny, sweetie, that's wonderful, but you still need to take pre-cautions._

_No, mom, I don't. Sheldon will take care of me. It's like a pre-nup. If you **know** that you are going to be together forever, why would you need one? If you need one, it means you have doubt. I know that if we ever slept together, on the rare chance that something would happen, he would take care of me and his child. He is a good man, and he would do right by us. I **know** that I will not get pregnant before we are married. To use birth control would be to have that little bit of doubt. And, I have no doubts. None._

Sheldon slumped down into his seat and let out a deep breath. He felt moisture prickle his eyes. The message was loud and clear. In one short conversation, the questions- when where, how- evaporated. His thoughts of being with Penny were gone, replaced by something much stronger.

He heard Eileen speak next. _How about we go find those two bums and see what the plans are for supper?_

_Sounds good to me!_

Sheldon silently prayed, you know, to the God he wasn't sure he believed in, that they didn't come down the hallway. He would be caught, and boy, that would be one awkward conversation. He heard their footsteps pitter-patter away from him, rather than towards him, meaning they went through the kitchen instead.

He let out a sigh of relief, and snuck down the hallway, turning the corner into the living room. "Hello."

"Heya, where you been?" Penny asked.

"Um, looking at your room of achievements," he replied, without a twitch. Well, he _was_ there at one point.

"What sounds good for supper, Dr. Cooper?" Eileen asked.

"Oh, I think I'll let Penny decide. She knows my tastes and preferences."

Penny knew that was his way of saying she knew which restaurants would be up to his sanitary and culinary standards. "German Deli?"

"Yeah, your mom and I haven't been there in a while," Wyatt enthused.

"German Deli?" Penny knew he was not questioning her, but rather wanting to know more about the restaurant.

"Yeah, relax. It is not _German_ food. It is on German Boulevard. You like Souplantation, right?" Sheldon nodded. "It is like that, but on a much smaller scale. They have a salad bar, deli sandwiches, wraps, baked potatoes, soups. And, everything is super-fresh. It might be nice to keep things light before tomorrow."

"Agreed," he replied.

Penny and Eileen excused themselves upstairs to go change their clothing, which was covered in flour, spices, and other food debris, despite their wearing of aprons.

"You are very agreeable toward my daughter," Wyatt mused suspiciously.

Sheldon scoffed, "Hardly. We lock horns regularly. I have just learned to pick my battles."

"Good man."

* * *

It was a short car ride to the restaurant. It looked very clean and modern from the outside. Upon entering the restaurant, he saw that the salad bar was kept spotless. There were two attendants either putting in fresh food or wiping down the surface. This made him comfortable enough to not have to inspect the kitchen or the bathroom.

Sheldon held out a chair for Eileen, while Penny seated herself. She smiled at his attempt to impress his family. For the round of drinks, they ordered two waters, a root beer, and lemonade.

Eileen didn't even have to look at the menu. "Well, I know I am definitely getting the salad bar."

Penny leaned toward Sheldon, and he instantly knew what was coming. "Sheldon, they have this 'Choose Any 3' deal. You could get something. I could get something. And, then we could split something."

He didn't mind sharing. In any other circumstance, he probably would have jokingly chided her for always wanting to share. He simply nodded his approval, and continued to look at the menu.

"I think I will get the Chicken Tortilla Soup," she stated. He fondly recalled the day they had first met, when she proclaimed herself a vegetarian, except for fish, which technically would have made her a pescetarian, and steak. Obviously, her vegetarianism had been a short lived phase, as he couldn't remember a time that she didn't partake in their carnivorous meals.

"I believe I will try to Cashew Chicken Salad on pita bread," Sheldon commented.

"What do you want to get for the third item?"

"Perhaps we could get a Bacon Cheddar baked potato and split it?"

"_Or_," Penny countered, "We could get a bowl of the pasta salad. It is a full serving, so it will be plenty for the both of us."

Wyatt and Eileen just watched the scene unfold in front of them, eyes dancing back and forth.

"Well, how are we going to settle this?"

Their eyes stared into each other, and after half a beat, both belted out:

"Rock, Paper Scissors, Lizard, Spock!"

Sheldon held up the Vulcan salute, and Penny held out a fist. Spock vaporizes rock.

"Darn!" Penny let out.

Sheldon smiled victoriously, while Penny and her parents conversed. Then, he narrowed his eyes. He always played Spock. Always. _And she knew that_. All she would have had to do was play paper or lizard, and she would have won. _She lost on purpose_.

The waiter came by to take their orders. Eileen asked for the salad bar, and Wyatt chose a Chicken Caesar Wrap. Penny ordered the Trio for them.

When the waiter said, "And for the third item, Miss?" Sheldon boldly piped up. "We will have the pasta salad, please."

Their eyes met, and without words he thanked her for being willing to let him have his choice, and she thanked him for knowing her so well that he figured out what she had done.

For the second time that evening, Wyatt said, "Good man."

* * *

Sheldon insisted on picking up the tab that evening, pulling out some cash. After a scuffle back and forth, Penny's dad relented.

What Sheldon wanted to say was, "How can I even begin to repay the people who brought this woman into the world? How could I put a price on her?"

What came out was, "You have let us stay in your home and are treating us to a generous meal tomorrow. This is the least I can do."

* * *

Once back to the house, Sheldon grabbed some pajamas and toiletries, and headed off to the bathroom. After a much needed hot shower and brushing his teeth, he went back to his room.

He thought he would read some comics before he went to sleep, so he got into bed, resting his head, once again on his at the foot of the bed. He looked across the way and frowned, when he did not see Penny looking back at him. He saw feet.

He went across the hall into her room, and gave a lopsided grin when he saw her. She was so exhausted she had barely made it to the bed. She was still in her regular clothes and even still had her shoes on. He considered taking off her shoes, but didn't want to wake her. Instead, he looked around the room and found a rather thin blanket hanging on the back of a desk chair. But, it was better than nothing.

He unfolded the blanket and gingerly placed it on top of her. He turned off the light and returned to his bed for his reading. He didn't read. He laid stiffly on his back, arms across his chest, thinking.


	9. Chapter 9

Sheldon's eyes flew open. Mmmmm, it smelled like Thanksgiving.

As he came down the stairs, he saw Penny and Eileen buzzing around the kitchen like busy bees. Penny's hair was up in a messy ponytail, getting messier and messier with each movement. She looked positively adorable.

There was still a half hour until the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started. While he usually scoffed at anything with mass appeal to the general public, obviously below him, he was also a creature of habit and tradition. Growing up, clearly the scientific aspect of the floats and balloons intrigued him. His college application included a detailed essay on the physics behind those whimsical floats. It also didn't hurt that often, his favorite comic book characters and superheroes were represented.

He grabbed the remote and flipped the channels around until he found the right station. Wyatt walked in the front door, arms full, with newspapers and a cup carrier.

"Coffee's here!" he shouted to the kitchen. He then held out a travel cup. "And one hot chocolate for the good doctor."

"Thank you." He had no way of knowing if the drink had cooled to the proper point, and he was pretty sure Penny would throw something at him if he asked her to check its temperature. He barely touched his tongue to the drink spout, and when it wasn't scorching hot, he dared to try a full sip. It was very close to the ideal temperature after all.

There was a buffet table near the kitchen, between it and the living room. Sheldon noticed that there were lots of treats: chocolate dipped pretzels, cookies, brownies, muffins, crackers and dip, a cheese ball.

Wyatt caught the object of his daughter's affection staring at him, as he picked things off the buffet and popped them in his mouth. "Go ahead, have some."

Sheldon seemed unsure. Such casualness was strange to him. It didn't seem polite, and he wanted to be good company.

"Go ahead," Penny's dad insisted. "Around here, we graze all morning long."

"Graze…like cows?" Sheldon didn't hide his faux amusement.

"Exactly. That's why they call it 'graze,' isn't it?"

He was a little hungry, but he couldn't bring himself to just pick something up and eat it straight from the dish. He went into the kitchen and grabbed a plate, and put some items on his plate. He returned to the television, anxious to see his beloved parade.

* * *

For Penny, the morning felt like a blur. At the present moment, she was hard at work peeling potatoes. The turkey was in the oven. Nearly everything was finished, but would just need to be heated up. The last remaining items were the mashed potatoes, and gravy, which her mother would make from the turkey stock, so that would have to wait too.

Penny had been put in charge of cooking the noodles. She was extra nervous, considering how much hard work went into them. Her mom had helped her to determine when the stock and water mixture were ready for the noodles. She monitored them closely, and when she thought they were just about perfect, she asked her mom for a second opinion. After poking them with a fork, Eileen approved. "Good job, honey."

Bonnie and her family would not arrive till closer to lunchtime. She was going to bring sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. Penny was excited to see her nephew Gavin, and how much he had grown.

Every 20 minutes or so, she would peek her head out and look into the living room. Her heart swelled each time. She didn't know which was more endearing: her father and boyfriend getting along or Sheldon's childlike face while watching the parade. It was a draw.

* * *

At around 12:30, a gaggle of people came through the front door. There was her brother-in-law Ryan, Bonnie, her very tall nephew Gavin, their Jack Russell Binx, and Ryan's parents, Allan and Patricia.

Penny sucked in a breath and grinned as she greeted everyone. She noticed that Sheldon had disappeared.

Historically, there had been major tension between the in-laws. Ryan had been a dirty, rotten cheater once upon a time, and then, there was that time that Bonnie had taken her shotgun and given him a little scare. Penny knew that if Bonnie wanted to hit him, she would have. Ryan was very lucky Penny wasn't around during the whole fiasco. She wouldn't have missed.

They had been separated for a while, until one day, they got together for coffee, and the rest was history.

Penny's family had mostly forgiven Ryan for his adulterous ways. The Bakers were much less forgiving of Bonnie assaulting their son with a rifle. But, for Gavin's sake, it was important for everyone to try their best to get along.

"Allan, Patricia, _so_ nice to see you. Please, make yourself at home," Penny said brightly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sheldon descend down the stairs. Her jaw nearly dropped. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a burnt orange polo shirt, and were those?...a pair of orange Chuck Taylors! She had never seen him look so simultaneously nice and casual. And, boy, did the orange make his eyes pop.

She was glad to pass Sheldon off, because she needed to get back into the kitchen. "Sheldon," she pointed, "this is my nephew Gavin. He is a junior in high school." Penny then motioned to the other couple. "This is Allan and Patricia Baker. Allan is a biochemist at one of the local grain processing plants. Patricia is a florist downtown. Bonnie's husband Ryan is out back playing with Binx."

She then motioned toward Sheldon with pride. "_This_ is my boyfriend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. I need to get back and help mom."

She was relieved when she heard the beginnings of a friendly conversation.

"So Dr. Cooper," Allan drawled. "We are in the process of looking at colleges for Gavin here. We are thinking pre-med or pharmacy. Any recommendations?"

"Actually, while in Germany, I made acquaintances with a gentleman by the name of Steve Lance, who is now Dean of the entire medical school at Creighton. They have a superb pharmacy program, as well…."

* * *

Within an hour, the meal was ready, and they all sat down at the long butcher block dining table. The food looked delicious and prepared with love.

Ryan left Binx in the back yard, much to the relief of Sheldon, who didn't care much for dogs. Although, he supposed little ones could be manageable.

Penny was beyond thrilled that her genius boyfriend was able to bridge the gap amongst in-laws. Who would have thought it?

Everyone was seated, except for Eileen, who was bringing the last basket of rolls, fresh from the oven. Sheldon stood when she approached the table, and didn't sit until she was seated.

Wyatt was sitting at one end of the table, the head of the table, with Sheldon sitting at the opposite end. Wyatt said, "I am very thankful for my beautiful wife, this wonderful meal, and people to share it with. Would anyone like to say the blessing?"

Everyone around the table clasped hands. Some people closed their eyes, while others bowed their heads. Sheldon cleared his throat. "I will say a few words, if you permit me."

Sheldon bowed his head, closed his eyes and got started. "Heavenly Father," at that, Penny's eyes shot up and she watched her physicist closely. "we thank you for this day. With good food and good friends, our blessings are abundant. We are grateful for the feast on this table. Our cup overflows. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Everyone else chorused in. "Amen."

Penny felt sick to her stomach. She felt all the blood drain from her face. People started passing the dishes around, and somehow she managed to put food on her plate, but she didn't remember any of it. It was a haze, and she couldn't pull her eyes from Sheldon for several minutes.

Then, she looked anywhere else but. She avoided any and all eye contact with him. She had lost her appetite, and was picking at her food, pushing it around with her fork.

"Sweetie, is something wrong?" Eileen asked.

"Oh, you know how it is Mom. When you are so busy cooking, and you are tasting everything, sometimes you just aren't that hungry when the meal comes around."

Seeming satisfied, Eileen nodded.

The conversations going on around her were pleasant enough, but she suddenly felt flushed. "I think I am going to get some fresh air," Penny said as she moved from the table.

She walked out to stand on the porch; the cool air against her warm face was therapeutic. She heard the door open, and she didn't even need to look to know who it was.

"Penny, are you unwell?" Sheldon asked concerned.

"Are _you_?" she bit back.

"Just tell me what is wrong."

"You! You are…" she growled. "I can't deal with this right now!" She ran back inside and slammed the door, running up the stairs and throwing herself onto her bed. She fought back the tears, but knew the sooner they came, the sooner they would be gone.

* * *

Even though the door was open, she should have realized it was coming:

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

She didn't stop him from coming in, but shut the door behind her. She had a feeling this was going to get heated.

"What was _that_?" she yelled, motioning wildly.

"It was a celebratory meal, symbolic of…"

"No, Sheldon…what you _said_."

He looked all around, avoiding looking into her eyes. "Well, as you know, being brought up by my mother, some things are embedded into my brain. I was able to recall bits and pieces from…"

"No, you didn't," Penny accused.

"…different prayers throughout my childhood…"

"No you didn't," she said again.

"I have an eidetic memory, Penny. I could repeat word for word a sermon Reverend Hulls gave in 1984."

"_Don't_ lie to me!" she screeched as she moved across the room away from him. "I was watching you, the whole time. That was not done from memory. That wasn't just something that slipped off the tongue with no meaning behind it."

"What are you saying, Penny?"

"I'm saying you lied to me. You've always lied to me. Who _are_ you?" she seemed disgusted.

"I am the man that is in love with you with every fiber of his being."

"Spare me."

"Please, sit. Can't we talk?" he sat down on Penny's bed.

She sat down, as far from him as possible, anger still evident all over her face.

She gritted her teeth and spoke. "Are you a Christian?"

"No!" Sheldon answered. His voice softened. "I mean….no. I'm not _not_ a Christian." She glared at him.

"Penny, as long as you've known me, I've been Agnostic. That means that I just don't know. Maybe there is a God; maybe not. That also means that I am at perfect liberty to move one way or the other."

Penny did not speak.

"I've always waivered between Agnostic and Christian, whereas most scientists are caught between Agnostic and Atheist. While nothing was conclusive enough for me either way, both my mother and Meemaw are God-fearing women."

Penny seemed to have settled down, but she still waited for him to continue.

"They believe in a God and a hereafter. Most days, I don't. At least the hereafter part. _But_. If they are wrong, and I am right, that's no skin off my nose. Theirs either. But, if _they_ are right and I am wrong, then I will be banished to an eternity of pain and torture. I doubt I am wrong, but better safe than sorry."

"I'm no expert, Sheldon, but I think God would be able to see right through you, if you are not sincere in your praying. I doubt 'better safe than sorry' will cut it."

"Let me finish. I've always been an Agnostic with certain Christian tendencies. But, I've sensed a shift in myself. I am moving closer and closer to my mother's faith."

"When? What happened?"

Sheldon swallowed and looked into Penny's eyes. "You."

"Me?" she whispered.

"That a woman as beautiful and wonderful as you could exist could be no accident. You must have been shaped, molded, created, with a caring touch and loving hand. And, that you serendipitously moved into our building that day? Was that chance? I don't know. But, finally…..that you would be with me and fall in love with me, I have no explanation for it, other than when I think about it, I feel only one emotion."

"What's that?"

"Like, I have been blessed."

Penny tearfully smiled. "I feel the same. When I think of all the jerks I could have ended up with, how my life would be different if I didn't make the choices I made, how _happy_ I am with you, I feel _so_ lucky and blessed. But, _you_ are a man of science."

"Penny, I don't know what my faith is at this point. Still unsure. Still confused. I guess that means I am still Agnostic. But, the fact that we are together…I've never been _more_ convinced that a divine presence exists out there somewhere."

"I don't know either, Sweetie. We'll learn together. We'll either both turn the corner toward your Mom, or we will be suffering that eternal torture together. _Together_, okay?"

Sheldon sighed contentedly and lay back onto the bed. Penny crawled up the bed and placed herself firmly against him. She placed light kisses against his chest and he held her tightly, as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Sheldon awoke, he couldn't stand to pull himself from Penny's warm embrace. He rubbed his eyes, and she stirred. "Mmmm, what time is it?"

He looked at his watch. "3:30"

"Shut the door and lock it. Let's crawl into this bed and never come out," she softly joked.

He breathily chuckled. "Actually, I would like to call my family to wish them a happy Thanksgiving. I will be across the hall."

"That's a good idea. I should probably go downstairs and bond with my family, too, huh?"

She walked downstairs and saw that everyone was still there. Football was on the television, and her father looked sleepy.

No stranger to arguments from his younger days, Gavin said, "Big fight, huh?"

"It was a difference of opinion. We worked things out. We always do."

Gavin cocked his eyebrows. "Made up, huh?"

"You have a dirty mind, kiddo. No, we didn't _make up_. We made up." She spoke the last sentence in a flat tone.

"Good," the teen said. "I like this one."

"Me too."

* * *

Mary Cooper picked up after the second ring.

_Hello?_

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mother."

_Well, hey there, Shelly! How is Nebraska treatin' ya?_

"It's been nice. Penny's family has been gracious hosts."

_And, I trust that we raised you right; you have been polite and minded your manners?_

"Yes, ma'am."

_We missed you Shelly Bean. It's me and Missy and her new boyfriend _Sheldon rolled his eyes_ and Junior and Meemaw and your cousin Frannie and her husband Lyle. It was a hoot and a half._

"Well, maybe next year."

_Maybe you can talk your entire gang into coming- Leonard and the Jew and his little Catholic wife and the mute Indian boy and Penny of course. I'd really prefer you not invite Amy._

"We'll see."

_Your Meemaw wants to talk to you; I will put her on real quick._

_Moon Pie?_

"Hello, Meemaw."

_I miss you Moon Pie. I wish you could have made it._

"I miss you too, Meemaw. So much. But, we will be down in the Spring."

_I'll be counting the days._

"Me too, Meemaw. How are you doing?"

_Getting along. You gonna give some more great-grandbabies?_

"Meemaw!" Sheldon acted scandalized. "That is hardly an appropriate inquiry."

_I'm just teasin', Moon Pie. It's kind of funny, isn't it?_

"What is?"

_That of the three of you, Missy, and Junior, you are the closest to settling down._

"I wouldn't say I am close."

_Moon Pie, are you going to marry this girl?_

"I am, Meemaw. I _am_ going to marry her. Please do not say anything to Mother."

_Sheldon,_ She rarely used his given name. _I won't, but I would like to meet her first before anything is official. Can you grant me that?_

Sheldon was stunned. "Meemaw, that was always going to be the plan. But, are you suggesting I need your permission to marry Penny?"

_Aren't I a good judge of character, Moon Pie?_

"The best," he admitted.

Meemaw choked up. _I just want to see if she is…the type of girl I had always pictured for you._

He knew instantly where this was going. "Meemaw, I know you loved her like a grandchild, but Penny is not Hannah, not even like Hannah. If that is what you are hoping for, you will be sadly disappointed."

_I'm sure she is a fine young lady._

"She's not," he laughed. "But, I am in love with her anyway."

_Shelly?_ He heard his mother's voice.

"Yes, mother?"

_Your Meemaw handed me the phone. I think getting to talk to you made her day._

"I'm glad."

_Got any big plans for Christmas?_

"Sure do. Lots of sinning and fornicating."

_Sheldon Lee Cooper!_

"Bazinga, Mom."

_Trying to put me in an early grave, are you?_

"Soooo Mother, about Easter…"

* * *

Half an hour later, Sheldon joined the group downstairs. His OCD kicked into high gear, as he saw papers and advertisements strewn all over the place. His eyes started to twitch.

"What in the world is going on in here?!"

"Oh," Penny looked at him. "We are getting prepared for Black Friday. Mom and Bon and I will be going out. Ryan and Gavin are looking through the ads to see what they would like Bonnie to pick them up."

Bonnie laughed. "Sending the women into the lion's den. What chivalrous gentlemen I live with."

Sheldon looked at her. "Sarcasm?"

Bonnie, unaware of Sheldon's sarcasm issues, just giggled. "You're cute."

"Ah yes, Black Friday." Sheldon stood straight up with his hands behind his back. "The consumer free-for-all when people camp out for bargain basement prices."

"Pretty much," Penny acknowledged. "You want to come?"

"Oh, I think not. Will you be attending any electronics stores?"

"Doubt it. We usually just go to department stores and the mall. Maybe Target."

Sheldon sat down on the couch to watch the football game that Wyatt was focused on. "Well, ladies, I will wish you good luck in your endeavors."

Bizarre as it may seem, Sheldon actually enjoyed football. He had always considered it to be a cruel custom that his father subjected him to. While he understood the very basic rules of the game itself, he had never taken the time to actually understand it.

That was until a couple of years ago, when his close personal friend Wil Wheaton had invited him to join a Fantasy Football league. Of course, he could not decline an invitation from Wil Wheaton, and he considered all challenges in the virtual world of utmost importance.

He had loved Fantasy Football. He liked paying attention to the statistics. He considered it similar to playing chess- deciding which players were worthy each week and which players match up better to their opponents.

From Fantasy Football, he had started paying attention to the games, when no one was around, of course. He had never grasped the strategy of it before. Just as he analyzed and predicted particles' movement in specific situations, he was able to analyze and predict the movements of the players on the field during any given play.

It was a brain teaser to him. There were mere seconds between the lining up of the players and the snap to decide how the play would turn out.

"I don't understand what the defensive coordinator is doing," Wyatt yelled. "They don't need three safeties out there."

"I concur. They really only need two safeties. I would suggest just one. It is obvious that they should utilize the zone blitz. The offensive line is severely over-matched, and with the height disadvantage, if the defense blitzed the quarterback, I don't think he would have the velocity or angle to complete a pass of significant yardage. And, even if he _did_ have the velocity, I imagine his accuracy would be greatly minimized by the visual impairment."

Penny shook her head and smiled. Only she knew of Sheldon's secret love of football. She thought it was just another excuse for Sheldon to be a know-it-all. But, on two occasions, Sheldon had come over to her apartment to watch Nebraska games with her. It was nice. He watched it with a laser-like focus, and she with enthusiasm. It was a good balance.

"That's what I'm saying!" Wyatt fired.

* * *

Once again, Sheldon was upstairs, working on his laptop. Bonnie and Ryan's family had left not long after the game ended. While not overly hungry, the remaining foursome had picked at the still tasty leftovers for supper.

Penny appeared in the doorway. "Hey you. Happy Thanksgiving." She sat down at the end of the bed.

"It is, isn't it?"

"What are you working on?"

"Well, two different but related things. I am working on a research proposal and a grant request."

"What's the difference?"

Sheldon tried to be patient, but couldn't help a little exasperation from slipping out. "When someone at the university wants to pursue new research that would utilize university resources and equipment, they submit a proposal to a committee, which is then accepted or rejected; in my case, accepted." He said a little too confidently.

"Makes sense."

"Now, when someone in the science community or distinguished alumni decides to donate money to the school or department, we must do a request for funds. I am sure you remember Leonard's hook-up incident. We must attempt to convince the benefactor that our research is valuable, they we are a good investment, and we must put ourselves above all others jockeying for the same money. I myself have been denied the last four times. It's cutthroat."

"It doesn't have to be," Penny offered.

"Go on," Sheldon said curiously.

"If everyone else is bragging in their letter, maybe you could use humility? It would set you apart."

"Humility?!"

"You know, please and thank you and kissing butt and all that?"

"Penny, that is absurd on the face of it."

"Think about it," Penny tried to reason. "They get all these letters talking about how great they and their work are. And, they all blend together because they all sound the same. Then, they get a letter telling them how appreciative you are of their generosity. You tell them how much you love your job and are passionate about your studies. Don't type it either. Hand-written."

"This idea is just insane," Sheldon said, but in a way she knew he was considering it.

"It wouldn't hurt to try."

She got up and leaned down to give him a kiss on the lips. "I'm going to bed. Mom and I are sleeping downstairs; Bonnie will be by to pick us up in a couple of hours."

"Have fun," he smiled up at her.

* * *

The next morning, Sheldon got up early. He wandered down to the kitchen to see what he could find for breakfast. He knew the women were gone, but it seemed quiet. He walked quietly through the main floor to see if Wyatt was up. Penny's dad was in the last place he looked- sitting in the den, reading the morning paper. He didn't look up.

Sheldon ascended to his guest room. He deliberately and somberly felt every movement he was making. He pulled on a pair of black chinos and a gray button up shirt. He then moved to his suitcase to pull out the pièce de résistance, his plaid blazer. When packing it, he had been painstakingly careful to arrange and fold it for minimal wrinkling. He pulled on his blazer and fastened one button.

He walked very slowly down to the den. He couldn't place it, but it felt like a death march. Nerves gripped him. He thought to himself that maybe he shouldn't have eaten breakfast first.

He finally got to the den, and Wyatt was still sitting there on the sofa. He stood in the doorway, and anxiously cleared his throat. At this, Penny's dad looked up.

"Sir, I apologize for interrupting. I was hoping I could have a word with you."

Wyatt motioned across from him, and Sheldon sat down in one of the chairs.

"You look all fancy," Wyatt noticed. "Going to church or something?"

"No, sir."

"Well, what can I do for you?"

Sheldon swallowed and took a deep breath. He focused on a point just above the older man's forehead. "Sir, I love and respect your daughter, more than I ever thought was possible. She is my best friend. I want to spend my life with her. I would honor her everyday. I would take care of her and provide for her and our children. I hope that you can give me your blessing. I am asking for Penny's hand in marriage."

Wyatt said nothing.

Sheldon found his eyes and nervously added, "If you are unsure, I do have a power point presentation available on my computer. And, if it tips the scales, I will likely win a Nobel Prize someday."

The silence was unnerving. Suddenly, Penny's father stood up, walked around the table, and pulled Sheldon up to give him a bear hug. He pulled away. "Yes! Of course!" the loud voice boomed.

Sheldon smiled and stuck out his hand for a handshake, and Wyatt took it firmly.

Wyatt returned to the sofa, and Sheldon sat back down in the chair. "Sir, I am not sure exactly how or when I will…..ask her. So, your discretion would be much appreciated."

"Understood, son."

"One more thing. I do intend to buy Penny a ring. But, before I did, I wanted to make sure there was no family heirloom that you would want her to have instead."

"Dr. Cooper," Wyatt said before looking back at his paper. "There's no heirloom, but you are a good man. Even though Penny is a grown woman, it still means a lot to be included like this. Thanks for asking."

"No. Thank _you_ sir." With that, Sheldon stood up and exited the room, practically flying up the stairs to change into his normal clothes. He could virtually hear the adrenaline pumping inside him.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note:

I _**so**_ don't own The Big Bang Theory

* * *

Hey guys! You are going to have to be a little patient with me. I have hit a small case of writer's block. Well, technically it is not writer's block...more like writer's depression. Meaning, I have pretty much everything decided in my head. It's just putting it down in words. Yesterday, however, I was diligently typing up a new update for you guys, and I had a little breakdown moment, and I haven't been able to continue ever since.

It seems like a lot of the syndicated Big Bang Theories lately have been the old-school brilliant episodes. And I just see all the perfection...the hints, the moments, the looks. And, then, it leads me to think about where the show is now, and how it cannot even compare. Add in all the spoilers and taping reports, and it leaves me one very disillusioned Big Bang fan. I feel like the show is just going nowhere, going in circles, and going downhill...all at the same time.

Two things that happened yesterday. I was watching Episode 100...I should have just stopped watching it. But, just that this was the best that they could come up with for that episode and that we were going through the same old crap again...just ugh. Also, I saw the preview for tonight's episode, which I knew was coming, but with the long break, I was able to delay it in my head. I won't be watching.

What it comes down to is this:

I find myself asking: _**What happened to the characters I knew and loved?**_

Which leads to this hard question: _**Did I ever really know the characters at all?**_

Which leads to this epiphany:_** How can I continue writing about characters that I thought I knew, but are ultimately so completely different than I have always seen them? **_

It would be like...writing a love story based on the Kennedys, and then finding about Marilyn Monroe. How do you continue, as if nothing happened? I imagine it would be quite difficult to go on. Your vision, your whole way of thinking has been blown apart.

And, so, here I am...a little bit broken as a writer. A lot broken as a fan. I sincerely hope to be able to push through, and get some new material to you guys soon. It's just a wall that I am going to have to break down piece by piece.

Thanks for all your positive thoughts and reviews. You make it all worth it!


	11. Chapter 11

_Exhale._

_I just want to thank everyone for their warm words of encouragement. It took me a little bit to get rolling again, but I think I am back on the right path._

_A/N: I do not own the Big Bang Theory_

* * *

_Two weeks later_

They were back in Pasadena. Sheldon's research project had been proposed and already accepted. That boy really does have some pull around there, Penny thought to herself.

Her show was on hiatus until January, and she was getting a bit of cabin fever. With the holidays approaching, lots of stores were hiring extra workers. A little extra money never hurt anyone, but really, she just wanted to find something to keep her busy.

As luck would have it, the local Crate and Barrel needed some extra help just during the month of December. It was perfect for her, and she went in to fill out an application. Later that day, they called her and she was hired. She wasn't truly surprised, as this time of the year; many places are scrounging for helpers.

She was informed that they would really only need her for a couple of hours during weekdays, but mostly full time on weekends. She was a little bummed, because with Sheldon working standard hours on weekdays, she enjoyed seeing him on the weekends. But, she would still have the evenings, and it wouldn't be forever.

During the days, she had taken up cooking and baking. She was working on honing her kitchen skills. She had been inspired back in Nebraska. Her mother was such a wonderful cook, and so was her sister, so she thought it had to run in the genes, and maybe it would come naturally.

It didn't.

She just did not have the natural instinct for it that her mother had. But, she did have a strong desire to improve day by day. She found herself calling her mother several times a week, sometimes on a daily basis. Her questions ranged from simple- Are baking powder and baking soda the same thing? (No)- to Why does my potato soup keep coming out grainy? (She had used pre-shredded cheese, and for better melting texture, she should buy block cheese and shred it herself)

She loved experimenting and trying new dishes. In fact, while she still visited the guys most evenings, she rarely ate with them anymore. She much preferred to fix her own meals.

* * *

One Tuesday mid-December, she had been called in to work just the morning hours. On her way out, she ran into Leonard and Sheldon in the lobby. They were walking in the building, just as she reached the bottom of the steps.

"Were you guys out all night?" she asked, her tone thick with interest.

"No, Penny…..it seems that my applied physicist roommate with a genius IQ was unable to make sure that his car was adequately shut down in all aspects, so as to preserve the integrity of the power source in said vehicle."

"Sooooo…"

"I left the lights on, and the battery is dead!" Leonard huffed, eyeing Sheldon.

"Ooooh, ouch," she replied. "Well, I'd offer you guys a ride to work, but it's completely the opposite direction from where I am going."

"That's okay, Penny. Your good nature is unmatched. I have no doubt if you could help us out, you would." Sheldon gazed down at her, and she looked back into his eyes.

Leonard spoke up, but neither took their eyes off the other. "Well, I will call Howard, and see if he can come by and give us a lift…hopefully he is not already on his way there."

"I've really missed spending time with you, Sweetie." Her stare did not waver.

Leonard watched as his quirky roommate brought his hands up and wrapped his arms around Penny's waist. He was feeling rather uncomfortable. "Uh, actually, maybe I will make the phone call over here, out of the way." He walked over to the wall by the mailboxes and did his best to block out their conversation, as he dialed up Howard.

"And I have missed you immensely," Sheldon replied in a low voice.

She absentmindedly ran her hands up and down his back, doodling designs as they stood there. "So I was thinking…"

"Impressive!" he teased. His sexy voice was gone, replaced by one she could only describe as Sheldon-esque.

She released him and stepped back, knowing that she would have to break the contact eventually. "I have to work Saturday until five, but I was thinking maybe you'd like to come over for dinner?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise, silly." Truthfully, she didn't have anything in mind, yet.

"I think I would like that. It's a date!" he said jovially. "What time should I arrive?"

"How about 7? That will give us some time to eat, and then we can head down and do laundry? Then, maybe afterwards, we can watch a movie or just hang out?"

"I will make sure to have my laundry basket ready to go before I come over, so that there are no delays," Sheldon was nothing if not practical.

"Likewise."

Leonard seemed to notice a lull in the conversation so he tentatively made his way back over to his two friends. "Howard was just pulling out of his drive, so he should be by in about 10 minutes."

Penny smiled up at her boyfriend. "It's okay. I gotta get going anyway." She got up on her tiptoes and gave him a cheek kiss just on the edge of his lips, then turned on her heel to go.

She was able to catch one last thing, before giggling right out the door.

"Now, Howard is doing us a favor, so can you not be you for a few days? No mocking him or being rude to him or dismissing his intelligence?" Leonard cautioned.

* * *

Penny decided to get some of her meal prepared on Friday. She would likely not get to her apartment until at least 5:30 the next afternoon, which gave her just enough time to freshen up and get the dinner ready.

She rinsed and cut up lettuce and other veggies for a salad and put them into individual containers. She even made two salad dressings from scratch: Buttermilk Ranch and Italian. She loved homemade dressings, and she hoped that Sheldon did too. He was awfully picky about his condiments…

She then grabbed two blocks of cheese- one cheddar and one pepper jack. She pulled out her brand new box grater, courtesy of a 30% employee discount at Crate and Barrel- and started shredding them. It was tough work, she noted, but her Nebraskan biceps were up to the challenge. She sorted the freshly shredded cheeses into separate baggies, and placed them in the fridge.

She then pulled out two skillets. She turned one to high heat. The other went on low. She pulled a pound of bacon out, and put strips of bacon on the skillet with high heat, sizzling and crackling. She grabbed a cutting board and a large onion; she chopped the onion into slices. In the low-heated pan, she placed butter, oil, a little bit of sugar, and then the large mound of onions.

She actually felt quite accomplished, handling both jobs at the same time. The bacon cooked rather quickly, so once done, she placed the bacon on paper towels to dry and cool down. She couldn't resist trying one strip of bacon, to make sure it was cooked properly. As for the onions, she let them simmer on low for nearly 45 minutes as they caramelized into a translucent pile of goodness. She turned up the heat on the onions for just a couple of minutes, so that they would brown a little. This gave her a very good start.

Now, it was onto dessert.

* * *

Howard trudged up the stairs, knowing he was late for vintage game night. Once he got to the 4th floor landing, he stopped. His large nose had a keen sense of smell, and he detected something very pleasing.

He threw the door open. "What is that wonderful aroma?"

"You're late," Sheldon stated matter-of-factly.

"Sorry," Howard sat down. "Bernie's not been feeling well lately. She's so petite, and the doctors say it is really important that she stay hydrated and nourished, but she can't seem to keep anything down."

"Oh, man, that sucks," Leonard offered.

An unmistakable look of concern crossed Sheldon's face. "You left her at home?"

"No, of course not. Her mom insisted that she come by and take care of her for a few days. I love her mom, but I don't exactly want to live with her. Who could stand having your mother around all day?"

Each set of eyes looked up at him, wondering how he possibly could have missed the irony in his statement.

Raj interjected. "I don't suppose you remember my many warnings about karma?"

"Anyway," Howard glared at his best friend, "if she doesn't get any better in the next couple of days, we are going to take her to the emergency room. Her OB/GYN said that they can put her on an IV and keep her and the baby healthy. It's just a matter of how long she'll have to be there. It could be days or weeks."

"Hey," Leonard encouraged. "I am sure they see this kind of thing all the time. It will be fine."

"Sure, it's normal, within the first few weeks." The engineer rubbed his eyes, clearly frustrated and exhausted. "This far along, it's not a good sign."

From across the room, Sheldon said, "There, there, Howard. Bernadette is an extraordinarily formidable woman. While she lacks size, she has the heart of a lion. I have no doubt that she will fight tooth and nail for you and your unborn child."

Howard took no comfort in the words. Instead, it made him feel more agitated. "Exactly! _Me_ and _my_ child. _I_ did this to her! I impregnated her with my demon seed, and now it could kill her from the inside out.

"Dude, I _knew_ you were paying attention to those _Twilight_ movies I was watching, while you pretended to be on your computer," Raj said knowingly.

"Those movies are crap, and you know it."

"Actually, I find the _Twilight_ series to be a masterful display of American literature at its finest. The movies themselves, though catered to a juvenile audience, showcased both a fantasy world and real-life situations that led to the triumph of the human spirit," Sheldon rattled off.

The other three guys looked at Sheldon like he had three heads. The idea that he had even read and seen it was shocking enough, but that he liked it? Maybe, he really had been replaced by a pod person.

"BAZINGA!" he shouted joyfully.

It was exactly what they needed for the tension of the prior conversation to be dissolved.

All four men guffawed loudly for several minutes.

* * *

Before they got settled in for a spirited evening of video games, Howard spoke "Hey, Sheldon, does Penny cook?"

"Some. Why?"

"When I came in earlier, there was an incredible smell. It was pretty strong, so I figured it was one of your two apartments."

"I doubt it," Raj observed. "She has not been eating with us nearly as much as she used to. The pressures of being on television." He shook his head sadly.

Sheldon's mind wandered to Penny's body. He thought of her curves, and the way he would grab on to her hips and shoulders during their particularly passionate moments. "No, I assure you, Penny's body is perfect. It has the exact balance of shape, function, and figure. While thin by modern standards, she also contains a suitable amount of padding in some areas." His cheeks burned a bright red, when he realized he had perhaps said too much.

"You dog!" Howard chuckled.

"I am just saying, Penny is not starving herself. She has no need to."

"So, she just doesn't want to eat with us then?" Leonard asked, confused.

"You are suggesting the pleasing aroma was the result of _my_ Pen….er, that is to say our neighbor…..cooking?" Sheldon furrowed his brow.

Howard stood. "Come see, or _smell_, for yourself."

The four guys quietly stepped out into the hallway. Their friend had not been lying; there was a wonderful smell in the air, and to Sheldon, it smelled remarkably like Texas on a Sunday afternoon after church.

Worry came over him. Was it possible that she was entertaining company? All those nights that she had been skipping out on dinner, could she possibly be seeing someone else?

No, he trusted Penny, implicitly.

Leonard, Howard, and Raj retreated back into the apartment, but Sheldon stood there, curious.

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

He heard Penny shout, without opening the door:

_"Sorry, sweetie, I am a little busy right now. Do you need anything?"_

"I just wanted to…say hi."

_"Hi! I will come over in a little while, okay?"_ she sounded rushed.

"Okay?"

_"See you then!"_

* * *

After everyone had left, Sheldon sat in his bed scowling. He loved Penny very much. He respected her and trusted her. She wouldn't betray him like that.

But, even he could acknowledge that she was a very friendly person. Perhaps, she had made a new friend that she had been spending time with? No harm in that. Except, then, why would she be keeping the friend a secret?

And would the friend try to cross any lines? And if, no _when_, she declined his advances, would he respect her boundaries?

He was a proud and confident person, but he knew Penny was an incredible woman who could have her choice of men.

His mind was spinning out of control. He would wait until Penny got there, and then he would talk to her about it.

She never came.

* * *

Saturday did not start out a good day. He woke up grumpy that Penny had never showed the night before. And, when he looked at the clock, he realized he had overslept, missing the first 20 minutes of Dr. Who.

While a part of him wanted to embrace the chaos that had befallen him, he went ahead and fixed himself his traditional bowl of cereal anyway, then proceeded to sulk on the couch, while he flipped through the channels.

He remembered that Penny had to work today, so she would be leaving within the next hour or so. He stayed in the living room, waiting to hear the sound of her door.

At 7:45, he heard her door open. He initially planned to run out into the hallway and interrogate her. But, he was feeling harsh, and didn't really want to talk to her right then. So, he marched up to the door and looked out the peephole. Penny was locking the door behind her. She looked bright and refreshed. And, if he wasn't mistaken, and he usually wasn't, there was a little extra pep in her step.

He was seething. Well, if she had better things to do last night, he could have better things to do tonight, he thought to himself.

* * *

When Penny arrived home, she decided to start the cooking first, then get ready. She took out two large potatoes and wrapped them in foil. She then pulled out some boneless chicken breasts from the refrigerator. She placed them in a baking dish and seasoned them. She popped the chicken and the potatoes in the oven.

The rest was basically assembly. She grabbed a bamboo salad bowl and placed the lettuce inside. She put the rest of the toppings in accompanying bamboo bowls. She put the dressings in two pretty glass bowls, and put spoons in each.

She opened her cabinets and pulled out a stack of serving dishes. She put the shredded cheddar cheese in one; she pulled some butter, sour cream, and salsa, out of the fridge; and put them into their own respective bowls; she had crumbled the bacon the night before, and it went into a small cup. She grabbed some green onion out of the crisper, and quickly chopped it into fine pieces, putting it into its own container. She set all the dishes out on her counter top, and put spoons in each of them.

Penny was bubbling with excitement. Everything she had made was from scratch. She had gone all out, and she really hoped Sheldon loved it. After about 45 minutes, she pulled the chicken from the oven. She placed a thermometer in it, and it was almost cooked all the way through. She pulled a Tupperware container out of the fridge, and placed a large heap of caramelized onions on each breast. She then topped it with the shredded pepper jack cheese. It would only need a little bit longer in the oven, just to finish cooking and get the cheese all melty.

She took this opportunity to go get changed. She put on a pair of jeans. On top, she wore a forest green tee with subtle silver stripes running horizontally. She threw her hair up into a nice ponytail. She washed her arms, hands, and face thoroughly, before applying a coat of mascara and just a few slicks of lip gloss. And, she was good to go.

She ran back to the kitchen and put all the used dishes and silverware in the sink. She thought about doing some dishes, while she waited, but she didn't want to get all soapy and take the chance of having to change again.

She checked inside the oven, and the chicken looked perfect. She pulled it out and tried the temperature again. It was done. With a potholder covering her hand, she squeezed the potatoes, and they were tender to her touch, so she pulled those out as well. She unwrapped the potatoes, cut a slit into them, and steam poured out. She would give them a few minutes to cool.

She looked up at the clock. It was 7:15! She had been so busy, she hadn't even noticed the time. She frowned, considering the fact that Sheldon was late. He was never late. She bit her lip in contemplation.

She stood there, waiting for the food to cool down, watching the door like a hawk. At exactly 7:21, she decided to go check on him. She walked across the hall and knocked on the door. Sheldon answered and looked at her blankly.

"Penny."

"Sheldon? Did you forget about dinner?" she asked impatiently.

"I did not."

"We agreed on 7, right?"

"We did."

"Then…why are you over here?"

Sheldon replied coldly. "I'm sorry Penny. I was under the impression that you were otherwise occupied. That you had fallen ill perhaps? Or entertaining other company?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"What are you going on about?" she spat out.

"Well, you said you were going to come see me last night. You did not. I knew there had to be some explanation; for whatever reason, you wanted to be by yourself last night. I assumed nothing had changed."

Penny groaned. "Oh, I'm sorry! I was just exhausted and passed out before I could come over here. When I got up this morning, I completely forgot, or else I would have called you and explained."

"I see." He seemed less distant, but still upset.

She went on the offensive. "But, that does not excuse your behavior." She walked forward, pushing her boyfriend back with each step. "You could have called. Or texted. Or came across the hall. If we are going to make this work, it's going to take honesty and communication. Not assuming we know what the other is doing or thinking."

"Speaking of honesty…"

She grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door. "Let's go. It's time to eat."

* * *

Sheldon made his way to the table to sit down, but continued avoiding her gaze. He still had an uneasy feeling.

Penny arranged the chicken on their plates, and put a baked potato on each. Luckily, the food was still pretty warm. "Nope, Sheldon, come here. Tonight, it will be a little bit do-it-yourself."

He walked slowly toward the island, surveying her kitchen and the food. She handed him a plate. "Baked chicken, topped with caramelized onions and cheese. You can fix yourself a salad, and over here," she motioned, "we have a baked potato bar. You have the potato, obviously, but all the trimmings are right here. Build your own baked potato, _exactly to your specifications_."

Sheldon swallowed, but didn't say a word. Penny had clearly gone through a great deal of trouble. The chicken smelled great. He stepped over to the counter, prepared to assemble his own creation. He spooned some butter into the potato; he then added a healthy amount of cheddar cheese; he sprinkled some green onion on top as well; then he saw the bacon. Bacon. He skipped the bacon, but added a small dollop of sour cream.

He then made his salad, while Penny put together her potato. Bacon. He walked silently toward the window, and took a seat in his spot at the table.

He pondered the onions on the chicken. And the bacon. Onions. Bacon. Just like one of his equations, the solution hit him like a ton of bricks. That smell from the night before. The one that reminded him so much of home, it had been this meal. His mother was quite fond of the use of both items in most of her cooking. No wonder it smelled so familiar to him!

When Penny sat dawn, he cleared his throat. "Thank you, Penny. It looks wonderful. A lot of hard work went into this, I'm sure," he said bashfully, admonishing himself for letting his imagination running wild.

"It was no problem. Most of it was prep work; not much cooking involved at all."

"Still, I truly appreciate it. You must have run yourself ragged."

"Well, I started on it yesterday, so that I had most of it done by the time I got home tonight. It is so much easier that way." Penny shoved a forkful of salad in her mouth.

Sheldon closed his eyes and let out a sigh. What had he been thinking? "Penny, we had noticed that you don't come over for dinner anymore. Is something going on?"

"Not really," she shrugged. "I have just been trying to learn the art of cooking, since I have some spare time for the next few weeks. Someday, when I get married," she was speaking generally, but softened her voice when she realized that marriage had long been implied amongst the two of them, "it would just be nice to not eat out so much. I want my kids to have healthy, wholesome meals. For us to eat together as a family."

"I knew it had to be something like that. Raj thought you were becoming anorexic, which I denied vehemently." His tone was overconfident.

She laughed. "He's crazy! But, Sheldon…would that be okay, do you think? I know you like your schedule and routine. And you like your regular restaurants. Could you envision a future when you would have traditional sit-at-the-table meals?"

Sheldon took a bite of the chicken and was impressed. It was delicious. After he had chewed and swallowed, he looked around the apartment, toward the kitchen, studying the food in the kitchen. His eyes settled on Penny. In all the drama, he hadn't realized how lovely she looked.

"You look beautiful," he said in awe, and she flushed. He took a quick look-see around the apartment again and looked directly into her eyes. "I could see that, Penny. Indeed, I could."

* * *

Laundry night was typical. Because they saw each other so often now, it was not spent "catching up" as they often used to do. Mainly, they chatted about current events; usually Penny had some bit of apartment building gossip to share; occasionally, they would steal kisses and the rare copped feel.

They walked side by side up the stairs with their baskets. Once they reached the fourth floor, they stood by his apartment.

"Soooooo" they said at the same time. Penny giggled, while Sheldon blushed.

"I'm sure you're tired," he shot out.

"Actually, I do have some dessert if you want?" her bright green eyes were wide with hope, and Sheldon was hooked.

"Of course! Let me go put this laundry away, and I will be right over."

"See you in a few," she smiled.

Sheldon practically ran to his bedroom. He dropped his laundry basket on the floor; he didn't even bother with putting his clothes away. He quickly made it to the bathroom and started scrubbing his teeth enthusiastically. He brushed for several minutes, scrubbing each crevice with purpose. He flossed and rinsed with mouthwash, not once but twice.

* * *

Meanwhile, across the hall, his charming partner was doing the same thing. She thought to herself that she hadn't really thought the onions through. But, he ate them too, so they would cancel each other out, she hoped. That didn't stop her from brushing her teeth scrupulously. She ran her tongue over her teeth, and they felt clean. She breathed a bit, and it seemed fresh enough to her.

As she came out of her bedroom, Sheldon bounded into her apartment, without even knocking. She walked up to him and stood very close to him. "Peanut Butter Pie? Homemade," she tempted.

"Well, actually, the meal was quite filling in and of itself, and I must admit, it seems to have settled. Maybe later?"

"Yeah, me too," she was slightly disappointed, but was sure that the pie would taste weird against the mintiness of her mouth. Waiting a little bit would probably be a good idea. "Oh hey!" she whooped. "I want to show you what I bought today, down at C n B." Sheldon internally scoffed at the way it sounded like all one word- SeeinBee.

Sheldon remained straight-faced, but his eyes were glistening. "Very well."

"Come on, it's in here." She started walking into her bedroom. He had been in there enough that there was no awkwardness from being in her bedroom. He remained standing, as she opened her closet and pulled out two boxes.

While she fiddled around with an object that was wrapped in paper, his eyes wandered to her dresser. There was a jewelry box sitting on top. He smiled.

"Penny, you have a jewelry box?"

"Well, yeah."

"Don't you realize that you are just begging to have your valuables stolen?"

"And how do you figure?"

"If a thief were to break into your apartment, the jewelry box would be a clear signal that you have jewels for the taking. You should keep them in a more concealed location. Like inside a first aid kit."

"Sweetie, why would I take advice from somewhat who leaves money all over his apartment? How safe is that?"

"Point taken."

Penny then pulled out a beautiful red crystallized vase. "This is for your mother." He nodded in approval, touched that she would think of his mom.

She set the vase back down and picked up a square box. "This is actually a set. There are six of these in here." She gently pulled out a stunning Christmas ball ornament. It was cobalt blue in color, but had understated wisps of silver glitter twinkling all over it.

"They remind me of your eyes," she looked down at the ornament lovingly. She carefully placed the ornament back in the box and set it down. "You like?"

"Yes, they will be beautiful on your tree," he responded.

"Oh, they aren't for _my_ tree," Penny was looking down at her feet. She seemed unusually shy. "Those are for Meemaw."

The words were barely out of her mouth and Sheldon was glued to her, his mouth kissing hers heatedly. Her kindness and generosity made him want every bit of her. Every giggle. Every stray hair. Every freckle. All of it.

She returned his passion. They stood there kissing, hands roaming, licking, gripping each other. They couldn't get enough. Penny was flabbergasted when Sheldon pushed her onto the bed.

She scooted up toward the headboard, waiting for him to join her. The look in his eyes was slightly terrifying. As he knelt onto the bed, he ripped his shirt over his head, quickly and without reservation.

They hungrily kissed each other for several minutes. When they pulled apart, they were both panting, gasping desperately for air. He grabbed at her shirt and pulled it up over her. She reached back and unclasped her bra, letting it fall off her shoulders, shaking it off onto the floor.

"Penny, please," Sheldon looked into her eyes pleadingly. The next thing she knew, he was unbuttoning and pulling his trousers down, leaving them bunched up next to the bed.

"Sheldon…" she whispered in a husky voice. She hadn't intended to whisper, but it seemed that was the loudest her voice would go.

"I want you," he said eagerly. His voice lowered. "I want…more."

Immediately, Penny pushed up onto her knees and unbuckled the three buttons to her jeans. Why did they take so much longer to unbutton?! She pushed them off of her and threw them to the ground.

They were on equal ground, their chests heaving as they stared at each other's bodies.

Sheldon lay down beside her, and kissed her tenderly. He wanted her to know that this was about love to him. She kissed him similarly, but eventually, the excitement of the moment took over, and he found himself on top of her, kissing her neck, as she drew her excruciatingly long fingernails down his chest.

As he kissed her neck, he brought one hand up and massaged her breast tenderly. She let out a positively adorable squeak. His dexterous fingers ran lightly over the nipple until it was very stiff. He brought his other hand up and did the same to the opposite breast.

He found himself very nervous, as he was about to do something he hadn't done with Penny before. But, he wanted to. Oh, he wanted to. He looked into her eyes and gave her one chaste kiss on the lips. Then, he lowered his head down, and took one nipple in his mouth, sucking and licking and kissing. He rubbed the right breast with his hand while his mouth was currently focused on the left one. He licked slowly and gently; then he sucked, well, not so gently.

She was responding in a way very pleasing to him. She let out gasps and moans. "Sheldon!" she would sometimes let out in a very small voice. Her eyes were mostly closed, and when she did open them, they were filled with pleasure and desire. When he moved over to give attention to her other breast, her noises became more insistent. He felt himself become physically aroused.

He brought himself up to her and kissed her some more. She kissed him back weakly, sounds of satisfaction spilling out of her. As he sucked on her bottom lip, he unintentionally ground his hips into hers. Penny gasped loudly, but wrapped her legs around his body, pulling him closer.

Only their undergarments were between them. Sheldon started to buck his hips against her, and she returned the rhythm. It was a fast and furious motion. He was becoming fatigued. He buried his head in her neck, as he drove his groin into hers. "Oh God Sheldon," she seemed to be begging.

"I know," he breathed against the nape of her neck.

Suddenly, he felt his body exploding and then wetness on the inside of his briefs. His face turned the shade of a tomato, and he jumped off Penny instantly.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God. I'm so sorry. God, I'm so sorry. Oh, God, oh God," he repeated over and over, as Penny watched him scurry about the room and collect his clothing. He ran out the bedroom door.

"Sheldon, wait!" Penny shouted. She laid there nearly naked, alone, and very sexually frustrated.

* * *

Sheldon made it through his living room into his bedroom without incident. Luckily, none of the guys were around. That would have been an embarrassing situation indeed.

He threw the clothes in his hand haphazardly on the floor, completely uncharacteristic of his perfectionist ways. He fell onto the bed breathing hard, tears warmly stinging his eyes.

He was mortified. Not only had things gotten totally out of hand with Penny, but he had not even been able to last long enough for full copulation to take place. How was he ever going to look her in the eyes again?

He took off his underwear and threw them angrily to the floor. He hated the feeling of stickiness, and didn't need it as a painful reminder of what an idiot he had made of himself in front of his girlfriend.

His phone chimed, and he thought about ignoring it. But, he didn't.

As he knew it would be, it was a message from Penny.

_Shelly, are you okay?_

He typed slowly, going back and re-writing several words and phrases until he thought it sounded normal.

_Okay is a relative term. I am healthy. I have a job. I am just…so sorry, Penny._

When she responded, he could just imagine her rolling her eyes as she typed it.

_Nothing to be sorry for wacko. It was wonderful. I felt so taken care of. I love you. _

_I love you too._ He sighed. _The situation got out of control very fast. I should have stopped myself. _

He felt a lump in his throat when he read her next message.

_We both should have. When 2 people love each other, these things happen. It was a learning experience and a good one._

He started to feel slightly better as he tapped out on his phone:

_If it weren't for my inexperience, things may have gotten even further. How humiliating._

_Well, then thank goodness for your inexperience._

He got under his covers and lay down in the center. He would tend to his laundry- both soiled and clean- tomorrow.

_I hope it is better for you next time._ Sheldon felt shame as he hit "send."

He was already half asleep when Penny's next message came through. It was a half hour later.

_It will be. And this time was fine. I know how to take care of myself. ;)_

Sheldon's eyes went wide and his eyebrows skied toward his hairline as he grasped her innuendo.

He placed his phone on his nightstand, and drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face, and the memories of Penny's body against his floating around in his head.


	12. Chapter 12

_This is a short chapter. I could have kept going, and ended up with a really long chapter, but I wanted to get something to you guys before the weekend. I will hopefully have an update sometime during the weekend. _

_A/N: I do not own the Big Bang Theory._

* * *

The following Monday, Sheldon decided to take an extended lunch from Caltech. One of the perks of being both brilliant and aggravating was that he could get away with pretty much whatever he wanted. And, usually any time away from the office was not only allowed, it was encouraged.

Before leaving his office, he put on his bus pants. He walked ¼ mile to the nearest bus stop. It wasn't long before a bus came along that went along his preferred route.

After a longer-than-he-liked ride, he stepped off the bus, two blocks from his destination. The sky was gray, and he heard thunder rumble in the distance, so he picked up his pace. In not long at all, he arrived to the apartment building he sought out.

Luckily, the building was not secured during the day like Penny's ex Kurt's was. He was able to walk right in and take the elevator up to the third floor.

He stood in front of the door for a second and straightened his clothes and hair. He subconsciously reached down and touched his bag that was resting against his hip, as usual. He didn't know who would be there, so he simply knocked as follows:

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Hello?"

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Hello?"

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Hello?"

The door swung open and a shorter woman with glasses and perfectly coiffed hair stood in front of him.

"Mrs. Rostenkowski," he acknowledged.

"Reverend Klingon," she replied. There was no expression on her face, but there was a lilt to her voice that made Sheldon think she was just teasing him.

"Yes, good seeing you again. I came by to see Bernadette. Is she well?"

When Mrs. Rostenkowski spoke, he noticed her tired eyes. "She is better. The doctors prescribed her some supplements to take to help keep her body strong. They seem to be helping, but it is a slow process. But, we've avoided the hospital for now."

"That's good to hear."

"She has been ordered to bed rest for the next two weeks, at least. After that, who knows? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose."

Sheldon looked past Bernadette's mother toward the bedroom area. "Do you think she would mind some company? I won't be long."

She studied his face. "She _is_ going a bit stir crazy. I think she would actually like a visitor. Even you, Dr. Cooper."

Mrs. Rostenkowski stepped aside to let Sheldon in. "I am just going to make myself some tea. I'll let you show yourself back there."

* * *

He saw her before she knew he was there. The sight of her made him feel unusual sympathy for Howard and a tremendous amount of respect for her. She had taken on a pale, almost grayish tone. While her belly had grown, she seemed to have lost weight in her arms and face. There were dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. She was sitting up and awake, watching television.

It was inappropriate for his mind to wander after seeing his friend in this state, but it did. He thought back to a time when he had commented on Penny being an ideal candidate for child birth, with her corn-fed vigor and child-bearing hips. He had meant every word.

"Sheldon?" Bernadette's voice jolted him from his memory. "This is a surprise. You want to come in?"

He nodded and entered the room, standing next to her bed and looking down on her frail body. "Your mother says you are feeling a little better. That's good."

"Yes, it is. I hope this baby is okay. If we lose it…" her voice cracked. "I'm just not sure I can do this again; put my body through this, put Howard and my family through this."

He didn't know how to respond. "We've all missed you very much, Bernadette. You are in our thoughts, and for those who feel the need to appeal to a deity, prayers."

The blonde only smiled. She patted the bed gently. "Have a seat, Sheldon. I won't bite."

He sat on the edge of the bed opposite her. "Has Penny visited you?" He was pretty sure he already knew the answer, as his lovely yet talkative girlfriend almost always shared every detail of her day.

"No," Bernadette replied sadly. "But, she texts me and calls. I know she's thinking about me."

"She should come by."

"Yeah."

A couple of silent moments passed. "Bernadette, there was one time you asked me to keep a secret for you."

"It was for less than a day, Sheldon, but yes, you did," she replied patiently.

"I hope that you will be able to return the favor." Sheldon's tone was not condescending or demanding. It was just a simple statement. "However, I am aware that you are under a lot of stress, so I will give you the option of declining before I continue."

"How much of a secret? Who all knows?"

"Well other than family members, only me. No one in our peer group."

"Can I tell my husband?"

Sheldon shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I have to play this close to the vest. I hope you understand."

Bernadette shook her head. "No deal. Howie and I try to have an open and honest relationship. We don't keep secrets from each other. And, you know how bad I am with lying."

"I do. I fully respect your decision."

The microbiologist's curiosity got the better of her. "Okay, at least give me a hint on what it is about."

"Well, it is a pretty big secret. And you will probably have to keep it for a few months. On the plus side, I doubt it is something people will guess, so I don't think you would ever be put in the position to ever outright lie."

"Well…" she contemplated.

"I would never want to compromise you and Howard's marriage."

"So, why are you sharing the secret with only me, may I ask?"

"I do have selfish motives," he admitted. "My social circle is rather small, and I find that the task I need help with requires a lady's touch. While I have independently contacted my mother and sister, I think you are much more suited to assist me. Your help authorizes you to have privileged information."

"So, it's something Penny cannot know about," the blonde deduced. "Maybe a Christmas present?"

"Maybe," Sheldon offered half-heartedly.

"Sheldon, I'd like to help. But, I am not sure how much I can help you right now." She motioned to herself in the bed. "I am on bed rest for a while."

"That's no problem," Sheldon quickly reached down to his satchel and pulled out his laptop computer. "I have everything we need right here." He patted his computer gently.

Bernadette hesitated. "Alright, alright, I will help you. How did your mother ever discipline you with those eyes?"

He blushed as he scooted up next to her and stretched his legs out along the bed. He popped his computer open, went to Firefox, and typed in a website. He tilted the computer so that she could follow along.

Bernadette caught your breath loudly. "Are those...?"

"Yes," Sheldon interrupted. "They are. But, I am not doing anything for Christmas. Like I said, it will be a few months yet."

"This is so exciting!"

"Yes, I imagine it is. Anyway, this is my preferred jeweler. I thought that perhaps you would have some insight into Penny's taste."

"Well, yes, I have an idea."

"Great." He went to the filter on the website, and entered his budget, then refreshed the page. He knew the drill. He was intent to spend as close to two months' pay as possible. Hundreds of rings dwindled down to a few dozen.

"What do you think of that one?" Sheldon pointed to the first ring.

"It's nice. Do you know what shape you'd like to get her?"

"Well, I like a round stone, as it is the most classic. But, there is something about the emerald cut that seems very…Penny."

Bernadette smiled. "You are right! Very Penny. I do know that Penny said once that she prefers yellow gold."

* * *

After nearly an hour of browsing the website and talking over all the details, the pair had narrowed down the choices to a handful.

The small fair woman was drifting off, so Sheldon got up to head back to work.

"Bye, Sheldon. Thanks for letting me be a part of this. Thanks for being my friend."

He smiled faintly. "I have gained an enormous amount of respect for your husband, you know. He has shown incredible depth and emotion during this whole process. Yet, he has remained steadfast in his career and friendships."

Bernadette closed her eyes, while he continued.

"I know this is a very trying time. I hope this will give you one less thing to worry about: you don't have to worry about disappointing Howard. He loves you very much."

"Thank you," she replied softly.

"And, for what it's worth, I hear that 'Sheldon' makes an excellent middle name when your baby comes. If it is a boy, of course."

The way he talked about the baby with such belief gave her a little bit of hope. "Sorry, Sheldon, but considering both of our families, the names for our next ten kids have already been earmarked by famous Republicans, spiritual leaders from the Torah, Pat Sajak, and several Popes."

Sheldon breathed in a chuckle as he left the room.

* * *

Christmas came and went. Both Penny and Sheldon had agreed to not exchange gifts. Instead, Penny talked Sheldon into doing a short 4 night cruise out of San Pedro. It was aboard the Princess Cruise Line, and included stops in San Francisco and Vancouver. They were able to get a great deal, and despite his clear trepidation, she was able to convince him.

Initially, she appealed to the scientist in him, encouraging him that he would be able to observe nature off the Canadian coastline. When this didn't work, Penny promised that when they stopped in San Francisco, they could ride streetcars, cable cars, and trolleys to his heart's content. He was on board (literally) with this idea, and gave in.

They booked one cabin, with two beds; they spent most of their nights in the same bed, although they didn't have much time for snuggle time, since they were both exhausted from each day's activities.

Sheldon cursed himself that he hadn't gotten around to getting that ring, yet. Proposing while riding a trolley car, up high on a hill, with San Francisco Bay in the distance would have been a magical moment.

It was a short trip; while Sheldon was constantly complaining about germs, inevitable in an environment where you share such close quarters with thousands of people, Penny knew he was having a great time. It was nice to get away, if only for a few days.

* * *

Peace was short lived, when one evening, Penny barged into their apartment in a rage. "Where is he?!"

Leonard and Howard were sitting on the couch, and looked up at her with wide eyes, a little bit scared.

She did not give them a chance to answer. "_Sheldon?!_ SHELDON!"

All three heard Sheldon's voice. "I'm in my room. You are free to come back here."

"No, you are coming out here, Sheldon! We are doing this in front of your friends. Get yourself out here, this instant!" she was steamed.

Sheldon genuinely didn't know what she was upset about, though he probably should have. He emerged from the hallway, looking confused. "Yes, Penny?"

"Oh, don't 'Yes, Penny' me, Sheldon!"

Leonard stood up. "Okay, Penny, you want to go ahead and explain what's going on?" He said carefully.

"_What's going on?!_ I'll tell you what's _going on_…your sick, twisted freak of a roommate is a thief. I should go call the cops right now."

"Sheldon?" Leonard prompted.

He only shrugged.

"Don't play innocent here, Sheldon," she continued, no closer to calming down. She then directed her dialogue to the other guys. "My soon to be _former_ boyfriend," she stopped to glare at the tall, lanky presence across the room, "seems to believe that I am irresponsible and can't take care of my own belongings."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Oh, yes, it is. A few weeks ago, he made a comment that having a jewelry box out is basically asking to be robbed. And, sure enough, today I got in my box to grab a pair of earrings, and all my jewelry is missing!"

"Sheldon, is this true?" the short physicist eyed his roommate.

"Not entirely."

The angry Nebraskan marched right up to Sheldon. "I want my stuff back, Sheldon. _Now!_" He disappeared into his room.

"What is wrong with him?" she growled to no one in particular.

Sheldon returned to the living area, holding up a baggie filled with jewels. He held it out and gave it to his current-for-the-time-being girlfriend.

She snatched it away and stormed toward the door. "Do _not_ follow me! Do _not_ come talk to me. You are a piece of work, you know! It is not normal to feel the need to _teach me a lesson_. I hope you take a good long look at yourself in the mirror. What you will see will be a petty, controlling jerk!"

With that, she left, slamming the door behind her.

Sheldon did walk into the bathroom, stopping to look at his face in the mirror. After a few seconds, his lips curled into a Cheshire smile.

He already had what he needed.


	13. Chapter 13

_I swear I didn't plan this on purpose. This whole storyline and chapter was in the works in my head long before this week. It just so happens that this fell at the exact right time. I guess there really are coincidences out there, Dr Cooper. _

_A/N: I certainly do not own TBBT. If I did, not only would I be fixing this show, but this Thursday's episode would not happen._

* * *

Things remained icy for some time after that. Sheldon never felt in danger of losing Penny, though. He knew they would work things out.

Penny started out giving him the silent treatment for several days. This eventually evolved into snide comments on her part anytime they saw each other. For his part, Sheldon never retaliated. He let her take her little jabs and let off steam. He just bit his tongue, which gave the illusion of his signature smirk, which only infuriated her further.

One Sunday, Penny let herself into the guys' apartment. "Leonard, is the WiFi down? I can't get online!" she yelled. No one was in the living room.

With steady work, she could easily afford her own internet, but it seemed crazy to do that when the guys' internet served her purposes just fine. Besides, some things were just a habit.

"Hello?! Leonard?" she called out once more.

Sheldon emerged from the hallway, walking steadily, with his hands behind his back. "Ah, yes, Penny is here to pilfer our wireless signal. Some things never change."

"Where's Leonard?" she growled.

"I'm afraid I do not know. He went out last night and did not return home."

"Is the internet down?" she was impatient.

"Oh no, it most certainly is not," Sheldon gave her a challenging look and smile.

Penny put her laptop down on Leonard's desk. She was ready for a fight. "Do you not even see what you did wrong?! You violated my privacy! You acted like a controlling sicko!"

He knew he was in the wrong. But, something about her brought out the competitive nature in him. Plus, some of the rude things she had been saying as of late did not help her cause.

"And you jumped to conclusions, like always, Penny! You are an overemotional, illogical woman. You are always assuming things." He stepped down from the hallway landing into the living room, but stayed near the kitchen.

"Oh I'm sorry," her voice was sarcastic. "I wasn't aware that _stealing my jewelry_ could have been interpreted a different way! Tell me, _Dr. Cooper_, how is it logical to do something like that to someone's girlfriend?"

"I would share, but I doubt you would understand, or take the time to try to understand. You are quick-tempered and rude!" he shouted.

"Well, at least I _have_ emotions! You just stand there like a robot! The only time you look like you have any reaction at all is when you stand there all…..proud of yourself!"

"Well, maybe I am!"

"I have no doubt!"

"Penny!" he barked out. "You are a real payback sometimes you know that?"

"Payback?" she scrunched her nose in confusion.

"Payback's a…" he suggested, waggling his eyebrows.

She finished the phrase in her head. He had just called her a- "You did not just call me what I think you did!"

"I did not. I called you a payback. You inferred the rest." He was too calm.

She let out an indignant shriek. "Do you _want_ to break up? Are you _trying_ to bait me into dumping you?!"

"Woman…" he warned.

"No, Sheldon! This argument is over. It's going nowhere! Maybe, the whole being sucky in a relationship thing runs in the Cooper genes!"

As soon as it left her mouth, she regretted it. It was a low blow, and she knew it. She took one step forward, but her heart broke as he glared at her, shook his head, and took a step backward. He was telling her without words to not come near him.

Penny was breathing heavily and glaring at Sheldon. She knew that she had let her temper get the better of her and that she should not have said what she said. But, she wasn't going to let him get off Scot free either.

He looked back at her with equal resolve. His mouth pursed in quiet determination. It was the kind of look he only reserved for the enemies in his life. "Get out." He growled.

"No," she replied, without a hint of fear in her voice. She wasn't going to leave like this. If they were going to have it out, they were going to have it out.

There was a flash in Sheldon's eyes, and Penny knew what was going to happen before either of them moved. They both crossed the space and met in the middle, where Sheldon brought his face down to hers and kissed her hard.

The kiss itself was desperate, and she found her cheeks stained with tears about halfway through it. There was nothing romantic about this kiss. It was awkward, forceful, and hot all at the same time.

Eventually, they pulled apart and stood facing each other. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when she saw that the tears that were streaking down her face were not solely her own.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said." It was barely a whisper.

"And I am sorry…that you felt betrayed." Penny believed that to be a pretty weak apology, but she knew his heart was in the right place. She squeezed him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder.

They stood there, holding each other, crying, and sneaking in sporadic kisses, until Leonard walked through the door, looking like crap from the night before.

* * *

Penny was excited to be back to work. It was the first Saturday back, and they were taping with the teenagers.

Penny and some of the kids were sitting around talking, while each one took their turn in the makeup chair and going to wardrobe. There was usually 2 hours of prep work before they actually started filming.

One of the girls whose name was Deena asked, "Hey Penny, do you have plans two Fridays from now?"

Penny racked her brain and wasn't coming up with anything. She had agreed to stay on at Crate and Barrel as an emergency staff member; they only called her if someone called in sick or needed the day off. "Nothing I can think of right now. Why?"

Deena looked around at the group. She was one of the more reserved members of the clique, but she had a sweet and persuasive quality about her, which is probably why she was the one bringing something up. "We have a dance that evening. We were all wondering if you would chaperone for us."

All of the teens on the show except two went to the same school, Canticle Christian High School. The other two were home schooled. The whole idea of it boggled Penny's mind. _Her_ chaperoning a school dance? If only her friends from high school could see her now.

"Well, I don't know." She replied reluctant.

Another girl, Rebekah, spoke up. "Please, Penny? We have to have ten chaperones. Usually our teachers and coaches volunteer. But, since it is Valentine's Weekend, we had fewer volunteers than usual. So, we need to get other chaperones, which could include parents. No one wants their _parents_ as chaperones." She added dramatically. "Ugh."

Penny smiled at Rebekah's typical teen request. "Well, that is certainly understandable. But, I am sure that your school doesn't let just random people into those kinds of events. I would hope not, at least. Security issues and all that."

Another girl named Fiona interjected. "You are not some stranger, Penny. Most of our teachers watch the show, and they love it! And you! Trust me, they would have no problem with you chaperoning us."

She really loved this group of kids and couldn't come up with any reason not to. "Can I bring my boyfriend?"

"I'm sure you can!" Deena jumped in. "He can be a chaperone too. That would be one less person for us to try to find."

"I didn't realize you had a boyfriend," a blonde boy named T.J. asked. "I guess he's not famous."

"He is not a celebrity, no. But, he is well-respected in his profession."

"I figured all you showbiz types ran together," T.J. said.

Penny smiled. "It certainly seems that way, doesn't it? I live a pretty low-key life. My boyfriend and our friends are all normal people with normal jobs." In her mind, she laughed at the idea that any of their group could ever be considered "normal."

"Cool! So, we can put you and your boyfriend down as chaperones, then?" Rebekah questioned.

"Sure! I'll need to check with him when I get home to see if he is busy, but I am sure he will be free. I will let you guy know on Facebook what I find out. In the meantime, you should probably check with your school and make sure for certain that it is okay."

She noticed that Sadie and Jorge, the two home-schooled teens were in makeup and/or wardrobe. She spoke softly to the rest of the group. "Maybe we should be discreet about this dance, okay? I wouldn't Sadie and Jorge to feel left out."

"Way ahead of you, Penny!" T.J. spoke up. "Technically, it is a closed dance, so people from other schools can't come. _Unless_, it is as a student's date. So, a couple of us have invited them as our dates for the evening. Not real dates, of course. Just a way to get them in."

"Good for you guys," she praised. She found herself wishing she had hung out with this kind of crowd when she went through high school. If she had, maybe she would have long-lasting friendships with quality people and not fake friendships with shallow people that still behaved like they were in the 10th grade.

She said a silent "Thank you" to whatever god may be listening. Many days, she still saw herself as the ambitious girl that she was her junior year of high school. But, to look at where she was now, she knew that she had become a better person. She never would have gotten to know her current friends in her old life. It was a testament to how much she had grown as a person.

Pete, who was a nice kid, but a little bit of a big-mouth spoke next. "I don't think you should ask your boyfriend to come. I mean, it is already borderline that we asked someone not attached to our school to come. To ask someone completely unrelated to our school and to us is just stupid."

"Well, Pete," Penny had never had that talk with Pete that her father suggested at Thanksgiving. It would have been too weird. "If I come, he comes. No him, no me. Got it?" She hoped she got her point across.

"I do have one more request, though," she added.

Some of the teens nodded, while others let out a "Yeah?"

"I insist you boys all save a dance for me, okay?"

The guys' eyes lit up while nodding in agreement.

"And you girls, I insist that you save a dance for my boyfriend. He's tall, dark," she grinned and lowered her voice, "and _very_ handsome."

* * *

"_A_ _what?_" Sheldon's voice reverberated off the walls of his apartment.

"Just a little school dance," Penny pleaded.

"In what universe did you think this was a good idea?"

"In this one!" she put her hands on her hips.

"Well, of course the answer is no!"

She narrowed her eyes at her argumentative boyfriend. "Sheldon, a while back, you said that you guys should be more supportive of my career. I have gone to a bunch of social events for you guys. That's not counting general things, like movies or trips to the comic book store. Is Sheldon Lee Cooper going back on his word? I want you to come. This is career related." She saw the derisive look on his face and added "Indirectly."

"Very indirectly," he remarked.

"Fine, very indirectly! But, it might be fun. I really like the kids and they asked me as a favor." She started to grasp at straws. "Sometimes I want to go back and re-live high school and this is sort of my chance. And you never had a true junior high or high school experience, so this is your chance at a school dance…..and come on!"

"I am pretty sure it is against the rules of your contract. You can't be seen with me, the embarrassing scientist, remember?"

"I can't go with you to specific _science_ events. I am pretty sure a school dance doesn't count."

He sighed. "Even if I agreed to this, you are forgetting one important fact. I don't dance."

"Yes you do!"

"I most certainly do not."

"You took cotillion, remember? And, you danced with Amy that one time!"

Sheldon raised his hand to wave off her last words. "That was a very unique circumstance that I do not wish to repeat."

Her lip trembled. "I see."

They moved from their standing position to sit on the couch. He turned the TV on and set the channel to SyFy.

They stared straight ahead at the TV set. After five minutes, Sheldon gently reached over to try to hold Penny's hand. She jerked her hand away and planted it firmly on her thigh.

He continued to watch the TV in silence, but stole some looks at her out of the corner of his eyes. Then, he decided to reach his arm around her, so that she could snuggle into him. He rested his hand on her right shoulder, but she didn't move an inch. She was stone-faced.

He knew there was one thing she could not resist. He leaned down and pressed a seductive kiss against her neck, making sure to let his tongue drag along her skin. He moved to kiss another spot on her neck, when she pushed him away hard. "God, Sheldon, enough!"

"Based on your behavior, I am to assume you are in an emotional state, so I guess I am obligated to ask, gee Penny, what's wrong?" he rolled his eyes.

"You hurt my feelings!" she stood to leave and he grabbed her wrist, preventing her from getting up.

"By not going to a silly dance? I think we need to discuss what constitutes what's worth getting one's feelings hurt over."

"Not that!" she snapped.

"Fine. Go ahead," he resigned in an exhausted tone.

"You were willing to step out of your comfort zone to dance with _Amy Farrah Fowler_," she felt slightly guilty for making it sound like a dirty name, "but you are not willing to do the same for me."

"Fine, I'll go." He just wanted the confrontation over with.

"No, Sheldon, that's not the point."

He just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"The _point_ is that you thought enough of Amy to step outside the box for her. I feel like you don't hold me as highly respected as you did her."

He turned to face her. "Penny, I regarded Amy Farrah Fowler very highly indeed. She is quite a woman. I had much respect for her. But, I love _you_." He reached out to grasp her hands and was relieved when she did not draw them away. "And, with you, there is no box to step out of. I do things I've never done before, nor ever dreamed of doing."

He swallowed and his voice faltered. "That was a dark time for me, Penny. I was not myself. I acquiesced to many of Amy's requests during that time, but certainly not out of my own desire. I was led to believe that she was my one and only chance at a functional relationship; that she was my one and only chance at furtherance of my genetic line. When one is faced with such a thing, one tends to act irrationally. I just didn't want to ruin anything. So, when the desire was within reason, I saw it more beneficial for me to just concede."

"Oh, honey." Penny grabbed him and hugged him close. She pulled away and gave him a sympathetic look.

Sheldon broke out of his contemplation, and sat up straight. "I will accompany you to this dance. And perhaps, if the mood strikes, I may participate in some of the foolishness."

"Actually, Sheldon, I kind of promised the girls in my group that you would save a dance for each of them." Penny half-smiled meekly.

All he could say was, "Well, I'm nothing if not a gentleman."

Penny beamed and pulled out her phone. She posted on her Facebook Page.

_Looking forward to hanging out with the Teen Talk peeps at Canticle Christian's Valentine's Dance. Woop!_

* * *

It was the night of the school dance. Penny knew that the kids were excited, and if she were to admit it to herself, she was too. Sure, it made her feel a little bit old to be a chaperone at a high school dance, but she felt more like a mentor, like the cool older sister.

The receptionist at the school had called her, and asked that she and Sheldon arrive approximately 20 minutes early, as there would be a short meeting concerning their duties for the evening. The lady had also informed her of the dress code. It was a semi-formal event, but all women were asked to keep their shoulders covered and men were to not wear any ball caps. This seemed reasonable enough to her and agreed to arrive at 7:10 pm on the dot.

She walked to the bathroom in her robe. She brushed her teeth and put on makeup. Earlier in the day, she had put her hair up in steam rollers. One by one, she released each roller, resulting in soft spiral curls. She teased her curls a little bit, and then applied a generous amount of hair spray. She set the hair spray aside, and reminded herself to put it in her purse before they left. She grabbed a red embellished headband and fastened it into her hair, letting the coils fall around it.

Penny stepped back into her bedroom, and let her robe fall to the ground. She grabbed a lace black bra and panty set and put them on. They were dotted with little sparkly hearts. She felt empowered; this wasn't for Sheldon or any other guy. It was for herself, and she felt beautiful. She took out of her closet a knee length red dress, with a bejeweled natural waistline. She shimmied it over her body.

She paired it with an elbow length black shrug. She took out a piece of costume jewels- a long black beaded necklace. She wrapped it around her neck twice. For a final touch, she slipped on a pair of 5-inch heeled black pumps. She didn't want to seem shallow, but this was a definite perk of being with a taller guy.

She assessed herself in the mirror. She was pleased that she looked classy and elegant, but still sort of in the same style as the youth she would be around this evening. She put on one last coat of cherry red lipstick, put both the hair spray and lipstick in her purse and waited for Sheldon.

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

She pulled the door open and her cheeks tinged pink as Sheldon's jaw dropped open slightly.

"Wow," he breathed out.

"Thanks! Wow yourself!" she motioned towards him. He was wearing what appeared to be the suit that he had bought the day she took him shopping. However, he left the suit jacket unbuttoned, and instead of a shirt and tie underneath, he was wearing a Flash t-shirt.

He brought out his right hand that had been hiding behind his back. "This is for later." It was a small bakery box. She could see through the window, it was some sort of miniature cake.

"Yum!" her eyes lit up.

He took his left hand from behind his back, and he held out a single red rose. "And this is for you."

She took the rose carefully, set both it and the bakery box down and kissed him full on the mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

They had both agreed that since they were attending an event which included dressing up, music, dancing, and refreshments, that this would be their Valentine's celebration for the year. She didn't mind. She was happy that he had agreed to come with her, after all. He had his own quiet romantic side, and she didn't want to force him to be romantic just for the sake of it. Plus, they had many years ahead of them to spend Valentine's Day together.

"Mmmmmm" Sheldon pulled himself away and reached into his jacket, pulling out a handkerchief. He rubbed it across his lips. "I must say Penny, your choice of lip color was not a very prudent one."

She pouted as he continued. "I just mean that if we were to take some moments for affectionate activities, we can't very well be discretionary, now can we?"

Penny grabbed the bakery box and took it over to place it in the fridge. She grabbed her purse and her rose and linked her arm with Sheldon's as she locked her door behind her.

They stopped before descending down the stairwell. "You are bringing your flower _with_ you?" he asked in a confused voice.

"Well yeah!" she replied as if it were obvious.

"With the thorns, I cannot imagine it would be safe to do so. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"But, I want everyone to know how happy I am and how darn romantic my boyfriend is." She held up the rose. "Look at me; I'm glowing!"

"Yes, you are," he responded fondly. "Well, before we go any further, I suppose this would be a good time. I have…I have a question I need to ask you."

Penny's head started to spin. Was this happening? Right here, right now? Her conscience answered her back: why not? What's wrong with right now? She felt the waterworks coming.

He took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. "Would you be my valentine?"

Penny exhaled and smiled at him. "Of course, sweetie." She took his arm and proceeded down the steps.

* * *

When they arrived to the school, they progressed to the gymnasium, where the dance was being held. There were some adults standing around, and an older woman, maybe in her 40's approached them.

"I'm Miss Carlson, the literature teacher here. I know who you are. You are from that TV show everyone's crazy about." she held out her hand.

Penny shook her hand, but before that, she could have sworn she heard Sheldon snicker, when the woman mentioned literature. She nudged him, a plea to behave. "That's me. And, this is my boyfriend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"How do you do?" Sheldon bowed to the lady, but did not extend his hand for a handshake.

"Yes, well nice to meet you! Thanks for helping out tonight. Those kids really love you. And, we all watch the show."

"Great to hear," Penny replied.

Just then, a male voice boomed out. "Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?"

They looked up, and a blonde man about their age was standing on the stage trying to get everyone's attention. He looked a bit like a Ken doll, and he was wearing perfectly creased khakis and a sweater. He could only be described as Mr. Rogers-ish.

"I first of all want to thank everyone for volunteering as chaperones for the evening. We know we have a group of great kids at this school, but it is still important to monitor them in an event such as this one. I just want to make it perfectly clear that for tonight, we are not their teachers, but we are not their friends either. We can socialize with them, but we are also a source of discipline."

He went on to explain that the 10 chaperones would be split as follows: two would man the front entrance, check people in, and make sure no one snuck in that wasn't supposed to be there. Once in the gym, students were not to leave; two would be guarding the bathroom area. They would also be watching the entrance from the gym to the school, as the school itself was off limits to students; Two chaperones would be sent upstairs to the balcony, just to monitor everything from a birds-eye view. The remaining four would circulate on the dance floor amongst the students. They were responsible for making sure no one drifted off into corners or behind any bleachers, and also to make sure that all activity on the dance floor was kept clean.

Penny giggled to herself; if you would have told her ten years ago that she was going to be responsible for preventing teens from acting like…well, she did as a teen, she would have laughed till she burst into pieces.

"Finally, for those of you who will be on the dance floor, it is acceptable for you to dance with students. We don't want any students to feel left out, so you will be allowed to ask a student to dance. However, we do have a policy that each chaperone will be limited to one dance per student."

They found out from Miss Carlson that the man talking was the principal, Mr. Webber. He was a handsome guy, single, and quite a catch. Penny's mind immediately went to who she could hook him up with.

Sheldon and Penny had been assigned to the floor area. The lights dimmed, the DJ put on some music as well as the strobe lights, and the students started to file in the door. She greeted her teens from the show as they showed up, but Sheldon was nowhere to be found. It took about a half hour for the party to get into full swing, but when it did, it was a fun time.

When she Chicken Dance blared out, she joined in the circle and clucked and wiggled along with the group. She wasn't sure why- perhaps because this was a Christian crowd- but she was shocked when Baby Got Back came on. Everyone yelled out the lyrics, word for word.

Of course, every so often, she had to be the responsible adult and check for any hanky panky going on. She had only encountered it a couple of times, and she was able to diffuse it with humor and charm. "Come on guys; my boyfriend's mother is a scary Texas Christian, and I am _not_ afraid to call her."

During the slower songs, she made sure to dance with each of the teens from the show, even Pete. His hands started to get a little low. "Watch it, Pete. I have the power to kick you out," she warned. Sheldon also joined the girls, after some rather firm prodding from Penny.

During one of her routine walks around the perimeter of the gym, she spied Sheldon, sitting on a bleacher chatting with a group of what appeared to be shy wallflower types. She sauntered over. "Hey Sheldon!"

"Hello," he looked up. "This is my girlfriend, Penny," he spoke to the boys. The students' eyes got wide and a couple of mouths dropped open. The blonde social butterfly beamed when she looked down and saw Sheldon nodding his head, with his eyebrows raised, and the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.

A twangy sound came over the speakers. Penny grabbed Sheldon and pulled him up. "Cotton Eyed Joe! You _have_ to know this one!" she shouted excitedly. She dragged him over to the dance floor. The students were paired off and do-si-doing around in a sort of informal square dance.

The pair joined in and soon enough, were swinging along with the students, moving from partner to partner. Halfway through the song, everyone joined together, girls on one side, boys on the other with hands clasped over their heads, forming a long tunnel. One by one, each couple shuffled their way under the passageway of hands. When it came to Penny and Sheldon's turn, she pushed Sheldon out ahead of her, him simply hunched over walking slowly down the aisle. She, however, was behind him, pretending it was a rodeo, using her invisible lasso to wrangle her guy. She galloped along to imitate a horse. She was a hit, with the students hooting and hollering.

When the song came to a close, it was met with everyone throwing up their hands and cheering loudly; others applauded. Penny pulled Sheldon away, both of them flushed and with a layer of perspiration on their skin. "Can you get us some punch?" she asked sweetly, and he obliged.

She happened to glance up and saw Miss Carlson waving at her from upstairs. She met her eyes, and then the teacher waved her to come upstairs. She looked over and saw Sheldon being overly particular with the cups and sniffing the punch. She figured she had time to run up tot he balcony real quick.

She jogged up the stairs, where the plump woman stood. "Hey, I hate to ask."

Penny took a moment to wipe the sweat off her forehead with her arm. Her sweet but psycho boyfriend would have flipped.

"But, we were wondering if maybe you guys would want to switch places. We were hoping to get down there for a little bit." She motioned to another female teacher who was also assigned to the balcony.

Penny was more than agreeable. After all, it was _their_ students. They should get a chance to celebrate with them as well. "Of course, no problem. You guys go ahead down. Just send Sheldon on up."

Soon after, she saw Sheldon appear with two glasses of punch. They decided to take seats in a corner of the balcony where it was shadowed. They could see down onto the floor, but no one could see them unless they were looking very hard.

"Phew," she let out. "I am exhausted."

"Yes, that was a raucous dance in which we just participated," Sheldon agreed.

"Bust any maggots?"

"I did see a couple of the male students get into a shoving match."

"And?"

"And, as you know, I am useless when faced with such conflict."

"And?"

"I just stepped up to them and said, 'Really, gentlemen?' and surprisingly, they stopped."

"The psychological angle, good one. I took the cool older sister witty approach."

"Whatever works," he shrugged.

"So, what do you think of your first school dance?" she asked.

"I've been to a number of wedding receptions and it's not all that different. The dancing part, at least. Plus, this is not technically my first school dance."

"What?!" she had been sure that he hadn't attended any dances out in Texas. He was 11 when he went to college, after all.

"Well, I said 'technically.' My cousin Jeannie needed a date to her junior prom. I was 13 at the time, but I was pretty tall," he explained. "I happened to be home for Spring Break at the time of her prom. Her boyfriend terminated their relationship the day prior. So, after an enormous amount of caterwauling, my mother volunteered her youngest to escort Jeannie to the dance."

Penny's hand was over her mouth to keep from laughing. "Oh, sweetie."

"I was only there during the pre-prom social hour and for photos. And, the first dance. Then, I left."

"You didn't want to stay for the prom?!"

"Not particularly. Penny, I was 13, and I didn't know any of the people there, apart from Jeannie and George, and a handful of people who I was loosely acquainted with through church. We agreed to it before I went, so it's not like I deserted her. She just needed someone on her arm for the beginning part of it."

"Well fine," she continued. "What do you think of your first _official_ school dance?"

He paused a moment. "Well, the number of germs circulating from all the metabolizing and perspiring is downright frightening. On the other hand, I cannot deny the rush of dopamine and endorphins I received while dancing to that last song. I would not be averse to participating in such an evening again…although to be clear, there will be a very long and thorough shower after this."

"Ooooh, can I join?" she joked.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Sheldon, I was kidding!"

"Oh," he let out in a strangled voice. "It's not that I am opposed to sharing a shower in the future. In fact, it is incredibly practical."

"Incredibly," she tried to keep a straight face and even tone. "Hey are those kids down there making out?!" she pointed. They were. She stepped down into the light and waved to get the attention of one of the other chaperones and pointed to the couple.

She returned to her seat and all of the sudden, Sheldon seemed very close to Penny, much closer than before. He leaned close and his voice was low. "It's just that, I don't know that I could control myself. And, until we are both prepared to… _not_ control ourselves, it's not a good idea."

She could feel his warm breath on her cheek. "Point taken," she managed to squeak out.

Sheldon's eyes drifted to the couple who were currently being scolded for their uncouth behavior. "So, am I to understand that kissing is not allowed at a school dance?"

"Well, yeah, I think kissing is alright. But, once it starts getting heavy, someone usually steps in."

"Why?"

"Because for teens, once they get all hot and heavy, it is hard for them to stop." She thought back to her teen years, mortified at the number of times she had bummed a ride from some guy to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test.

"Hmmm," he said thoughtfully. "I guess it is good we are adults, then."

She looked over to him, confused by his statement, but saw a twinkle in his eyes that he had narrowed, almost devilishly. He immediately put his hands around her waist and dove at her, capturing her mouth in his, kissing her roughly. Her hands ran through his hair.

She shook her shrug off as he proceeded to kiss all along both sides of her neck and up her jaw to kiss her lips once again. A shiver ran through her, as she felt him take one hand up to the top of her dress, pinch the zipper between his fingers and tug the zipper down.

"Sheldon!" she whispered. "We can't! People could see!" Penny pulled away long enough to look down and see if anyone was looking up into the balcony. No one was paying attention. It was as if they weren't even there.

"That would be bad," he responded, but it didn't seem to faze him as he kissed her that much harder. Her lips were powerless against his, and as much as she tried not to react, her lips moved in motion with his, licking, kissing, and nipping his lips.

Penny felt a burst of cold air as Sheldon reached up for the fabric along her shoulders and tugged her dress down, until it was settled along her stomach. "Sheldon!" she scolded half-heartedly.

He began to kiss along her collarbone, then further on down, as she watched the floor nervously, worried that someone might see, even though she knew how dark it was where they were.

"Sheldon," she said again. "We are supposed to be chaperoning. We are supposed to be examples!"

He pulled away and looked up on her. "You're right." And then, he went right back to what he had been doing. She felt her hands grip the bleacher seat when his mouth reached the top of her breasts that poked over the top of her bra. He kissed each breast carefully, and then licked the sensitive skin.

She swallowed as her body betrayed her and nipples began to stiffen. Sheldon kissed each nipple through the fabric of her bra. "More," he simply said. He reached around and his hands were ready to expertly unclasp her undergarment.

The DJ's voice came over the loudspeakers. "Last call everybody! These will be our last two songs tonight, so make sure you have a Valentine to spend them with."

Sheldon jerked away and Penny sat straight up. She quickly pulled her dress up onto her shoulders, and said, "Zip me."

He zipped her up, and started rubbing his face with his hands, even though he knew that rationally, one cannot simply rub a blush off of their face. Penny put her shrug back on and reached over to try to smooth down his disheveled hair.

They stared straight ahead, not looking at each other. Every so often, one would look out of the corner of their eyes at the other. Then, Penny started to laugh softly. This prompted Sheldon to giggle as well, until they were both laughing hard at the situation they had been in just minutes before.

She got up and held out her hand, which he took. "Let's go"

They walked down the stairs hand in hand and waited in the lobby, looking out onto the dance floor as the first song ended. Another slow tune started up. Sheldon cleared his throat.

"Penny, would you care to dance?"

Her eyes lit up and she nodded excitedly. She hadn't expected him to suggest it.

They walked out to the dance floor holding hands. While he was more used to the traditional waltz style dances, he saw that the couples were not dancing in such a manner. When in Rome…

Penny squeezed her arms around his neck, and thanks to her heels, rested her chin on his shoulder. He brought his hands down to encircle them around her waist. They moved slowly, if at all. Their feet were barely moving as they swayed to the sweet song.

Sheldon closed his eyes, and he felt her move, laying her head down against his shoulder, breathing softly against his neck. _This_ part of it he could get used to. This was worth the entire night.

All too soon, the song ended and the lights came back on. She exchanged numbers with Miss Carlson, whose first name was Holly. They were also introduced to Principal Webber briefly. He gave her one of his cards; she knew it was not flirtation. He seemed the kind of man that respected boundaries. It was more because she works so closely with his students.

Eventually, they were saying their goodbyes when Rebekah bounced over to the couple. "Thanks for coming, Penny! See you next Saturday." The girl looked shyly at Sheldon. "Thank you too, sir. You were a good dancer."

They started moving toward the exit. "Oh wait!" Penny shouted. She rushed over to the edge of the stage where she had set her single red rose down when they arrived. She ran back over to her boyfriend and Rebekah. She held the rose out to the girl. "This is for you. Happy Valentine's Day."

Rebekah's eyes lit up beneath her glasses and a broad grin graced her freckly face. She reached out and took the flower. "Thanks!"

"Penny," Sheldon said as they left. "That was my gift to you. Now, you don't have a present from me." He frowned.

"There is still the cake," she acknowledged, impurely thinking of how fun it would be to feed each other that cake, and the icing that would inevitably find its way all over each other.

"And, I will always have the joy and memory of how I felt when you gave it to me. But, the look in that little girl's face, the happiness that we were able to bring to her…_that's_ the gift."


	14. Chapter 14

_I do not own TBBT_

* * *

Penny lucked out, as she had two full weeks off for Easter break. She had never thought of it before, but in her profession, Easter was kind of a big deal.

It had given her a sense of pride to be able to book their plane tickets and pay for it herself, and not feel like she was going to have to break the bank to make ends meet. She had moved to California with dreams of fame and fortune. Now, she felt lucky to be able to pay back those she owed and live a relatively comfortable life.

Of course, Sheldon insisted he pay for his ticket. And, she insisted he not. He had paid for their airfare to Nebraska. (Technically, it was on her card, since he did not believe in banks or credit cards, and for some reason, you can't pay with cash over the internet. Who knew?) She told them this would make them even, and if he really wanted to pay her back, he could spoil her on their trip to Texas.

Their original plans were still in place: Sheldon had taken Thursday and Monday off from the university. Despite the university not having any sort of religious affiliation, they already had the Friday before Easter, Good Friday off.

They had booked a morning flight for Thursday, and would arrive in Houston mid-afternoon. That gave them three full days to visit with family, before they would return home on Monday.

One day, Penny had caught Sheldon looking at accommodations in the Galveston area. She had questioned him, confused.

"Sweetie, why are you looking for hotels?"

He had continued to focus on his computer. "For our visit to East Texas, of course."

"I was under the assumption we'd be staying with your mother?"

"You assumed wrong," he replied back sharply.

"Now, Sheldon, how much time with family are you going to have running back and forth to and from a hotel?"

"I'm okay with that."

"Well, I'm not," she had said firmly.

"Well, I am, and because it is on what is commonly referred to as my home turf I get final say," he had said as he continued to pluck away at the keyboard.

She had crossed her arms. "Sheldon what would kill your mom faster? The idea that her baby boy doesn't want to spend his visit at her house, where she can dote on him to her heart's content? Or the idea that her baby boy is shacking up with a girl in a hotel room down the street, where they will be fornicating and using the Lord's name in vain?"

"But, we won't be fornicating. We'd just be sharing a room. Well, maybe a little bit of sinning. Just a little." He had blushed. "You know that."

"_I_ know that, and _you_ know that. But, your momma doesn't. And, in her mind, there will be only one reason her son and his girlfriend chose to stay at a hotel, away from her fundamentalist Christian watchful eye."

"Shoot." He had known she had a point. Sheldon had picked up the phone and dialed his mother.

All Penny could hear was: _"Do you think you'll have room to accommodate both myself and Penny?"_

_"Of course, not in the same room."_

_"No, not even rooms next to each other."_

_"Different floors? Is that really necessary?"_

_"Well I did suggest staying in a hotel..."_

_"Of course two separate hotel rooms…" his face twitched badly._

_"That was my suggestion, but Penny was adamant that we stay with you, so that we get more family time."_

_"Of course, Mother, we will."_

_"Okay, bye."_

Penny had smiled proudly, hoping she had earned some serious brownie points with Mary Cooper.

* * *

They were beginning their descent into George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The flight had been much smoother than the one to Nebraska. Sheldon had even managed to fall asleep this time. He didn't awaken until Penny shook him softly, telling him they were starting the descent.

He seemed drowsy. "I really wish you would have let us stay at a hotel, Penny."

"I know, Sweetie."

"It's just my family can be a bit…much. I want you be able to get a break if it starts to get too much for you."

"I'll be fine."

"Well, I won't. I've gotten used to sharing a bed with you, at least a couple of times a week." It was his metathesiophobic way of saying he was going to miss waking up with her in his arms. "Four whole nights, Penny."

"I know, sweetie. But, we'll make time for each other. I promise."

* * *

They had disembarked the plane and found their luggage. Sheldon stepped away to use his phone and when he returned, he stated that his mother was in the airport and for them to stay put.

Penny reached down and laced their fingers together, while she held onto her luggage with her other hand. When Mary Cooper approached, she looked straight at their interlocked hands and started crying tears of joy. She flung herself at Penny.

"Oh, thank you sweet Jesus, thank you. You are a Godsend, Miss Penny. All these years of worryin' myself sick about my little Shelly…and here you are, a gift from above."

Sheldon found that he quite agreed with the last part, but did not want to give his mother the satisfaction of hearing him say it out loud. When Mary had finally pulled away from Penny, he went to hug his mother. "Hello Mommy."

"Well, look at you. Penny, I don't know what you are feedin' the boy, but he is definitely taller and handsomer than the last time I seen him. You're just a regular heartthrob, ain'tcha?" Sheldon blushed.

"All the girls on my show think so," Penny piped up. "On set, he is referred to as 'the cute doctor.'"

"Oh for crying out loud," Sheldon started to walk toward the parking garage, while his mother and his girlfriend stayed a couple lengths behind, side by side.

"Penny, I don't miss a single day of that show of yours. What a mighty fine show it is, leadin' the flock along a better way."

"Well, thanks."

"I reckon my prayer group is sick and tired of me talkin' 'bout how Shelly-Bean's girlfriend is the star of her own _Christian_ show."

"I think the kids are the stars myself."

Mary yelled forward to Sheldon, as they kept walking. "And humble, this one is! Humility is a treasured gift, darlin'."

"Thank you Mrs. Cooper."

"You can call me Mom."

"Um…okay, Mom?" It felt foreign out of Penny's mouth, but she noticed it wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

They spent a quiet evening at the Cooper home, just Sheldon, Penny, and Mary. Missy had agreed to work a double so that she could have Friday through Sunday off. It was bridge night at Meemaw's retirement community. And, who knows what George, Jr. was up to?

Sheldon didn't mind. In fact, he was thankful for the solitude. He knew that the next few days would be a whirlwind of food and family. Mary suggested a game of Uno, to which Penny agreed. Sheldon however, scowled the whole time, as he was not a fan of games that required no skill or strategy…just simple dumb luck.

After spending several hours watching television, playing games, and catching up (which was really just Mary Cooper asking questions to learn every single detail of their courtship,) the evening was nearing to a close.

With his mother in the kitchen doing dishes, Sheldon spoke. "Penny, would you care to go for a walk?"

"Uh, sure?"

Going for walks wasn't something they typically did in California. Sure, they wandered together while on their way to or from a restaurant or while shopping. But, the concrete jungle of Pasadena didn't lend itself well to romantic strolls. Now, they were in Texas, where there were hills and trees and lakes and a beautiful night sky.

"We don't have to. I just thought it was a nice night and…" he looked down at his feet mumbling to himself mostly.

"No, no! That sounds great," she assured him. "Let me go put some tennis shoes on and grab a light jacket, and I'll be ready to go."

He himself also put a jacket on, but his shoes were sensible enough that he didn't feel the need to change them. He walked into the kitchen, where his mother was scrubbing away. He walked up behind her and kissed her cheek lightly.

She turned to face him and her face was frozen in astonishment. "Well, what in the Sam heck was that for?"

He shrugged. "Just because."

Mary narrowed her eyes at her son. While clearly much taller than his mother, he was still affected by his mother's Look. "Who are you, and what have you done with my Shelly?"

"Oh, Mom!" he rolled his eyes.

"No. _My_ Shelly doesn't kiss people all willy-nilly. He usually doesn't like to even hug his poor mother."

Sheldon looked around to make sure Penny wasn't coming. "Mother, do you remember when I called at Thanksgiving, what we talked about?"

"Sure do, Peaches."

"That was _one time_, Mother, and I still cannot look at a peach pie the same way!" he replied exasperated. He continued on. "Anyway, I was wondering if maybe I could take you out for breakfast tomorrow so that we can talk about it some more?"

Mary looked past him to see if his lovely girl was around. "Of course, baby." She reached out and patted his cheek with her soapy hand. When she realized what she had done, she lovingly took a dry towel and dried his cheek off.

Just then, Penny came walking into the kitchen. "Ready to go?"

"Yes," he nodded to her. "Mom, Penny and I are going for a walk."

"Don't stay out too late, you two," Mary wagged the spatula she was cleaning at them. "And behave."

Sheldon opened the back door for Penny and pressed his hand to the small of her back as she walked through. As the door shut, Mary Cooper watched them through the window and started dancing a little Texas two-step while yelling. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes" victoriously.

Penny and Sheldon walked side by side under the stars. They were walking through his backyard, further and further from his house. It didn't seem like they were going anywhere in particular, but Penny just followed him.

"Your mom is a great cook," she gushed. She had known this already, but it still needed repeating.

"That she is," he agreed.

Mary had warned them that she hadn't had a lot of time to prepare supper. But, Penny was delighted when she served up a heaping plate of the most delicious barbecue meatballs she had ever had on top a bed of white rice. In the middle of the table had been a plate of corn bread. _This_ was what she cooked like when she didn't have time to prepare?

Sheldon caught her in thought. "You'll get there someday," he said gently.

"Oh I don't know about that," she rebuffed.

"I doubt you will ever be as good a cook as my mother, of course, but few people are. That was her calling in life. To aspire to be like her would be like an artist aspiring to be Van Gogh. Just because you may not be a Van Gogh doesn't mean you won't be great."

He slightly hesitated before speaking again.

"I myself will never be another Newton, Einstein, or Tesla. I am aware of that. But, that doesn't mean I can't also be a superb scientist in my own right. I am very good at what I do, and I will make vast breakthroughs for the physics community in my lifetime. I will likely win a Nobel Prize. I will be successful. If I attempt to best Newton, I will fail. We must be logical when it comes to our capabilities."

Her heart swelled. She had never heard Sheldon so humble, so willing to acknowledge his humanity. She had heard his bravado, sometimes cockiness in the past. She knew that he possessed great confidence in himself. It was only for her that he was willing to let down his shields.

"And, if you speak of this conversation to _anyone_, I will vehemently deny it."

They walked along for nearly an hour. He pointed out pieces of his childhood: his childhood tree house, the creek (or was it crick?) where they swam sometimes, the shed that he referred to as his own personal lab. He left out the unpleasant memories of the times he got beat up, given wedgies, or teased to tears.

Penny particularly enjoyed the homemade swing nestled into the woods behind his house. The frame was built from actual wood. For a good 15 minutes, they sat and kissed innocently under the moonlight.

Alas, their time together wound down and they made their way back to the house hand in hand. Mary had left the kitchen light on for them, but she had retired to bed already.

The Cooper household was a slightly smaller one than the one Penny had grown up in. When Sheldon's father had died, Mary was able to use some of the insurance money to get rid of their double wide trailer and build a modest home on their same land.

There was a master bedroom on the main floor, and Sheldon's bedroom on the second floor. There was also another room upstairs that Mary used as her personal crafts and sewing area.

Sheldon walked Penny to her bedroom.

"I have to say, Sheldon, this is a really great guest room. I will get a good night's sleep in here, for sure."

"Oh, this isn't the guest room. This is my mother's room."

"Your mom's room?! Honey, I can't take your mom's room."

"My mother will be lodging in her craft room, Missy's old room. There is a blow up mattress. She will be fine."

Penny went for the stairs. There was no way she was going to put Mrs. Cooper out like this. She was young; she could take the pop-up bed. His mother had a long weekend of entertaining ahead of her. She needed the rest.

She had only climbed a couple of steps when Sheldon grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. "Penny, you are our guest." He paused. "Plus, my mother insisted that we not share the entire upper level together. Too much temptation, she said."

She closed her eyes. "Why don't you just tell her we don't have _that_ kind of relationship?"

"Quite frankly, it is none of her business. And _she_ is the one that assumed our relationship had a sexual component. If she is going to be so presumptive, I don't feel bad letting her believe it."

They made their way back to her temporary quarters, where Sheldon leaned down and talked softly. "Plus, I could never let you sleep on an air mattress. I would absolutely insist you share my bed. And, it's a twin. So, about that temptation thing…" he looked down, ashamed.

Her face turned pink. She simply gave him a kiss goodnight and disappeared into his mother's room.

* * *

Sheldon knew his mother would be up rather early, so he set his alarm for 6 am. He was quite right when he made his way downstairs and his mother was already in the kitchen, dropping eggs into boiling water.

"Good morning sweetie pie," she said in a hushed tone as she kissed his cheek.

He knew Penny was a sound sleeper, but he didn't want to take any chances, so he kept his voice lowered.

"Morning, mom. Where are we going for breakfast?"

"I was thinking either the Waffle House or the Bagel Barn." Mary Cooper's son gave her a look of contempt. Could her choices have been any more _hillbilly_?

"Either one will be…" the word "fine" just wouldn't roll off his tongue. "Whatever you want, mother."

"I could have a bagel," she said.

"Bagel _Barn_ it is," he said with a tone of mockery.

Mary was able to finish up her egg boiling for the time being and they were dressed and out the door by 6:45 am.

* * *

The ride to the small hole-in-the-wall location was quiet.

Mary chose a cheddar bagel toasted with garlic butter, while Sheldon got a Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Bagel on Poppyseed.

They sat down and began to devour their meal. Mary had finished half her bagel when she spoke. "So what was it you were wantin' to talk to me about, sugar?"

Sheldon reached into his pocket, pulled out a box, and popped it open, setting it down in front of his mother.

She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh Shelly!"

He looked at her shyly.

"It's really happening, isn't it? This is real."

"I don't know," he said unsure.

"You don't know?"

"It's hard to explain. I just…..don't know."

"Shelly, sweetheart, I love Penny. But, if you aren't sure, then you aren't ready. And you got no business proposin' to a girl if you aren't ready. It would just break her heart."

"No, mother, not Penny. I'm _sure_ about Penny. It's the concept of marriage that I am not positive I can buy into."

Mary reached out and took her son's hand across the table. "Shelly-Bean, what is it about marriage that has you all confused on the inside? Talk to your momma."

He had a pit in his stomach. He didn't want to say the words out loud. He didn't want to crush his mother. "It's just…you and dad."

She tore her eyes from his briefly. "I see."

"I assume that at some point, you two were happy. Yet, he became a jerk. And you became his miserable wife. And you fought…a lot."

"I know it wasn't easy on you, darlin'. It broke my heart everyday that you had to overhear our arguments or endure his bad attitude. All you kids. It broke my heart for ya. You are so much like George, sweetie. He was passionate, but had a temper."

"Then, why did you stay _with_ him?" Sheldon raised his voice. "If you knew he could be such a jerk, why did you even get married in the first place?"

Mary's voice became firm, as did her grip on her son's hand. "Now, you listen here, Sheldon. I took vows to your daddy. 'For better or for worse, in sickness and in health.' The times weren't always good, but he never laid a hand on me. Or you kids either, unless you deserved a good butt whippin'. And, his alcohol drinkin' was an illness, Shelly. You're a doctor; you of all people should understand that he had a disease. I took my vows to your daddy very seriously."

Sheldon kept quiet. He didn't know how to respond.

"As far as the second part," she continued. "I knew your daddy could be a jerk sometimes. He knew I could be a nag. Marriage is about lovin' people in spite of their faults. Jesus loves _us_ in spite of _our_ faults. We can do the same." She got a faraway look on her face, her voice started to falter, and her lip trembled. "I married George because I loved him."

Sheldon pulled his hand away and started to pick up his sandwich. "I very much love Penny," he said matter-of-factually.

"Course you do, sweetie." She picked the box up and started to look at the ring. "You did a mighty fine job, Shelly."

After a couple of minutes, she spoke again. "Shelly, this ring is engraved."

"It is."

"Hon, you aren't supposed to get it engraved till you have it sized," she said worriedly.

"It will fit."

"Sheldon, dear…"

"Mom, it will fit."

He went on to explain how he had broken into Penny's apartment to get into her jewelry box. Imagine his surprise when he had found many rings of varying shapes and sizes. He had known he couldn't take all of the rings; if she got into her jewelry box before he could return the items, which she had, it would have been obvious that only the rings were missing.

So, he had taken all her jewels, under the guise of teaching her a lesson on responsibility. Some rings were obviously for her pinky finger, while some were obviously for her thumb. That had left about a dozen rings. He had done precise measurements on the widths of the rings from the inside of the ring. He had used a formula to come up with an average number. He had been able to come up with three distinct numbers. He had compiled the data, and took it with him to the jeweler.

The jeweler assured him that it was almost certainly the set of numbers with the smallest average. He had seemed very knowledgeable. The gentleman had analyzed each number within the column of the smallest average. He had said that based on those numbers he would recommend a size 7. It was highly likely that size 7 would be the one that worked. However, he had added, if they went up to a 7 ½, it may be a tad bit loose but not so much that it would fall off. The 7 ½ would have been a much safer bet. But, Sheldon's jeweler had appeared very confident in the Size 7, so that was the one he went with.

Mary looked at her son like he had grown a third arm. "Shelly, only you would take something like a marriage proposal and turn it into some sort of science experiment."

"Well, mother, science affects every single thing in this world, even engagement ring shopping."

"_Jesus_ affects everything in this world," she replied. "Shelly-Bean, what in the world does this inscription say? It's not some sort of devil language is it?"

* * *

Sheldon mind drifted back to the afternoon of January 30th.

_His mobile phone rang, and he picked it up. It was the jewelry store owner. He had been able to procure from a dealer in Maine the exact stone to the specifications that Sheldon had requested. The jeweler had on file what he wanted: Emerald diamond, 2 carats, 24 carat gold. The jeweler had explained to him that due to the specific clarity and color he wanted, it would take a little while to find the exact combination._

_As it turns out, the store was able to find a stone within a week. The man would email Sheldon a copy of the contract, and he would need the contract signed as well as half down as a deposit before he could order the diamond._

_Sheldon spent a lengthy amount of time reviewing the contract in detail. He felt that the price was fair, the terms reasonable, and that the store had correctly represented the ring that he had designed in his mind. He printed the contract out and began to sign and initial in all the appropriate spots._

_One line caught his eye. It said, "Engraving" followed by a blank line. Drat! He hadn't even thought of that. It was a nice gesture, but the idea of having to think of something profound stressed him out._

_He placed the contract in his satchel and went to meet Leonard to catch a ride home._

* * *

_Sheldon spent most of the next two days thinking about that line: "Engraving." He had once gotten a gravy boat engraved for Howard and Bernadette. He didn't think the same idea would be appropriate with Penny. "Please return to Sheldon Cooper in the case of marriage dissolution." No, she would find that highly intolerable, not that it would even fit on the small ring._

_By the end of those couple of days, he decided he definitely wanted to have an inscription done. Now, would come the hard part, coming up with something personal to them._

_**P+S=Love?** No._

_**I love you.** Maybe. It was simple but true. He would keep that one in his back pocket._

_**From Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Nobel Laureate?** Sheldon smiled at that one, but didn't think it was heartfelt enough._

_**Hook 'Em Horns!** He could just imagine the look on his lovely Cornhusker when she saw that._

_After thinking on it, he decided to go with a simple "I love you." He wanted to get down to the jewelers; he didn't want to take a chance on not getting that rare stone that he needed to complete the ring._

_Howard Wolowitz walked through the front door a little bit later. "Hey Sheldon, are you and Leonard ready to head to Stuart's?"_

_"I am well prepared, but Leonard is not here."_

_"Well, where is he?"_

_"I am actually not sure of that. He spent the afternoon meeting with the physics personnel over at UCLA. He hasn't been home yet."_

_"Well, Raj said he would meet us down there. He's probably almost there already." Howard was impatient._

_Sheldon pulled out his phone and pressed Leonard's speed dial. It went straight to voice mail. "Leonard, this is your roommate. I was not sure if you would be home in time to go to the comic book store. Howard and I are heading out right now. See you later."_

_He turned to his smaller friend. "Well, I guess we shouldn't wait around for him. Shall we?"_

_He grabbed his jacket, keys, and computer bag. As he and Howard were making their way downstairs, he couldn't help but ask. He knew that to ask would mean revealing a very big secret that he was not sure his friend could keep._

_"Howard, could you drive me to run an errand on our way down to Stuart's? It would only be a half mile out of our way."_

_The engineer seemed annoyed. "I guess. Can it not wait?"_

_"It is something of importance. I'd rather not."_

* * *

_They made it to the SUV and sat in silence, except for the few times Sheldon would direct Howard where to turn and what lanes to get in. Once they got onto Cumberland Boulevard, Sheldon asked his chauffeur to slow down and then turn into the parking lot of a small brick building._

_Once the car came to a stop, Howard spoke. "Sheldon, this is a jewelry shop?" He was half stating and half asking._

_"Yes it is," the physicist looked down in his lap._

_"Okay…"_

_"I just have some business to attend to, that's all." Sheldon's face twitched, not out of dishonesty, but rather nerves._

_He had already considered what to tell Howard. He thought of telling him he was getting something for his Meemaw. This did not seem prudent, as the engineer could easily let it slip that he had taken Sheldon to a jewelry store and someone could do the math, especially after the jewelry box fiasco._

_He had thought about saying he was buying something for Penny, perhaps as a Valentine's Day gift or as an apology. There were holes in this plan too. When Valentine's Day came and went, Howard may even ask Penny what he bought her and then tell her that he escorted her boyfriend to the jewelry store. Plus, if he was buying a gift, Howard would ask to see it and then wonder why he didn't have it with him. Most things you can buy straight out of the case. Very few things are special-ordered._

_Ultimately, the decision was made by a sweet blonde. Not Penny. Bernadette. He knew that Bernadette already knew, and while she had promised to remain faithful in her attempt at secrecy, he hoped it would lessen her burden for her to be able to speak freely with her husband._

_"Howard, you are...a friend, so I am going to share something with you in confidence. Your wife already knows, but you two will be the only ones who are aware of the situation. I plead with you to be loyal to me and keep this amongst yourselves until the time comes."_

_"Well, well, well. The great Dr. Sheldon Cooper needs my help." Sheldon had incorrectly assumed that his friend's impending fatherhood would have softened him._

_"Fine, what will it cost me?"_

_Howard was thoughtful for a moment. "No making fun of my lack of PhD for a full year. A suspension of any and all strikes for the same amount of time. I get dibs on Flash for Halloween. And," his expression changed slightly. "You overcome your fear of hospitals, don't pass out, don't complain, and be there when my child is born."_

_This request was pondered briefly. "Done. Why the last one?"_

_"When my kid gets older, I want him to take pride in the idea that one of the most brilliant scientists of the modern era was there to experience his birth into the world."_

_A lump formed in Sheldon's throat, but he continued on. "This matter requires the utmost discretion on your part. No one can know."_

_"I'll do my best."_

_"No," Sheldon stated firmly. "There will be no doing your best. There will be no try. This is not a negotiation. You must keep this quiet. There is no other option. If the choice is giving up my secret or death, you choose death. Got it?"_

_"I'm about to become a father. If the choice is your secret or leaving my child fatherless, then…"_

_Howard's indignance was interrupted. His passenger was holding up his fingers in a fake gun and pointing at him. "Keep it quiet or death! What is it?"_

_"I choose death," he replied defeated._

_"Very good," Sheldon smiled, pleased. "Sometime within the next few months, I will be asking Penny to marry me. I am here today to order her ring."_

_"Wow, that's great! Do you think Penny suspects anything?"_

_"If I thought she did, do you think I'd be breaking my back trying to keep the whole thing hush-hush?"_

_"Point made."_

_Sheldon had his hand on the door handle, ready to step out of the car, when he took a breath and thought of the self-proclaimed romantic sitting next to him._

_"Because you are the only one of our group that is married, may I make an inquiry?"_

_"Sure."_

_"Did you have Bernadette's ring engraved?"_

_"Huh?"_

_"I only ask because on the contract, it gives a space to write down something to inscribe into the ring. I'd like to put something, but nothing comes to mind."_

_"Well, yes and no," Howard admitted. "I bought her engagement ring at a store that was going out of business. It was on closeout and as-is. However, when we went to have our wedding bands done, we both put something in the other's ring."_

_"I see."_

_"In Bernie's, I put 'Love you to the moon and back.'"_

_"Hmmm. I would like it to be something private, just between me and her. It should be meaningful."_

_"Have you thought of something in Klingon?"_

_Sheldon gave Howard a contemptuous look. "Have I? You think **I** wouldn't think of Klingon? But, you may have a point."_

_"Oh?"_

_"Putting something in a different language would be the ideal way of keeping the sentiments private between us."_

_"Well, I am the king of foreign languages. Why don't you tell me what you wish to convey, and I will come up with some ideas?"_

_"I would like to tell Penny that she is everything to me. She is my best friend. She is the one who has stolen my heart. She is the one I want to spend the rest of my life arguing and making up with. I want to live my entire life making her happy, taking care of her." His face was red, blushing from the emotions he just shared._

_Howard screwed up his face in contemplation. After some moments of consideration, he spoke out. "Dodi Li."_

_"Pardon?"_

_"Dodi Li. It's Hebrew. It means 'My beloved is mine.'"_

_Sheldon repeated twice slowly. "My beloved is mine. My beloved is mine."_

_"Yeah, it's from…"_

_"Song of Solomon." He looked to the side and saw his friend looking at him strangely. "Eidetic memory, it's a curse."_

_"I can come up with something else if that is too religious for you?"_

_"No need. Dodi Li is exactly what I was looking for. It's perfect. I sincerely thank you, Howard Wolowitz."_

_As Sheldon stepped out of the vehicle, Howard replied. "Then, may the force be with you, Sheldon Cooper."_

* * *

Sheldon rolled his eyes. Only his crazy mother would see something in a language that Jesus himself spoke and interpret it to be Satanic.

"No, Mother, it is _Hebrew_." Mary brightened at this statement. "And, its translation is personal between me and Penny."

"Jew Hebrew or Jesus Hebrew?"

"They're the same thing!" he screeched, frustrated. "Can we go now?"

"Sure enough, baby. What kind of bagel do you think Miss Penny would 'preciate?" Mary grabbed her purse.

"That's not necessary, Mom."

"Now, now, pumpkin. The least I can do is buy breakfast for my boy's future bride." She then added, "On the way home, we'll need to talk about this plan of yours."


	15. Chapter 15

_And, as it always has...Big Bang Theory belongs to someone else, not me._

_Just a quick shoutout. Thanks for the reviews and encouragement. It keeps me going._

_Between having a life and having a job and typing up this story, unfortunately I had fallen behind on reading FanFiction. I spent today getting caught up on a ton of old and new stories. It was like a jolt of adrenaline into my writing veins. These stories have and will continue to inspire me everyday._

* * *

Penny didn't arise until just before noon. Sheldon spent the morning helping his mom in the kitchen prepare for his big surprise.

"Morning," Penny walked into the kitchen, yawning sleepily.

"Just barely," Sheldon joked.

"We're dying eggs for Easter; you want to help?" Mary offered.

Penny loved to dye Easter eggs. But, she was still a bit groggy. "Maybe in a bit, thanks."

She sat down at the kitchen table and watched the mother and son tandem work.

"Penny, we brought you a bagel if you would like me to toast it for you."

"It's just about lunchtime though," his mother added. "If you can wait a little bit, I'll make you some sandwiches."

"Yeah, I can wait. I'll save the bagel for tomorrow."

"Now, honey, as the guest of honor, do you have a choice for what you'd like me to whip up for ya?"

"Surprise me!" the younger woman replied. "Actually, I think I am going to go take a shower. See you in a bit?"

"Of course." "Sure" both Coopers replied at the same time.

Sheldon listened until he heard the water running in the shower.

"Mother, I have a question."

"Yes, baby?"

"Do you know what time Easter services will be over tomorrow night?"

"Well, church will start at 5, so I'd say we should be out of there and home by 7:30. Why?"

"I wanted to take Penny to Jefferson's Market for dinner."

"Wow, how fancy!"

"Yes, well?"

"Well, what, sweetheart?"

"You don't have anything planned for after church, right? The family will be over Sunday to celebrate Easter. Correct?"

"No, Shelly, nothing is planned for the evenin'. It would be perfectly fine for you to treat your lady to a night out."

"Good. So…once we get home, can I use the truck? Or, well, it would be Penny to use the truck. Is that okay?"

"I suppose that would be fine. Is she a responsible driver?"

Sheldon couldn't lie. But, he could omit the truth. "Would I ride in a vehicle with her if she wasn't?"

"You're right. Always are."

"Mother, I'd be more than happy to bring you home something. I seem to recall you being particularly fond of their prime rib."

She reached up and patted his cheek. "That would be mighty fine of ya. Good boy."

* * *

Penny bounded back into the kitchen, hair slightly damp, but much more alert than before.

"Alright, prepared for duty, Commander," she saluted Sheldon.

"Well, why don't I get workin' on lunch, and I'll let you two handle the eggs?" Mary stepped away.

Penny took two hard-boiled eggs and dropped them in some dye. "So, when is the rest of the family getting here?"

"Missy is going to pick up Meemaw and be here around 2. I can't wait for you to meet her," he said as he stirred an egg around.

"Me neither!"

"She's not a better cook than Mom, but she is a very skilled baker."

"I'm sure she is."

The two continued to talk about random things until the rest of the eggs had been dyed and were in the carton drying.

The kitchen smelled magnificent, as Mary set out a plate of BLTs on toast, along with potato chips on the table to munch on.

"This looks great," Penny gushed.

"Aw, nothin' fancy. Just a little somethin' to hold us over until supper."

"Yeah, speaking of supper, what are the plans for this weekend?" she directed her question at both Mary and Sheldon.

Mary spoke first. "Well, tonight, Missy and Meemaw will be over, and I have supper sittin' in the fridge right now. Ya like ribs don'tcha?" The blonde nodded. "Good. We'll have ribs and other fixins. Now, on Sunday, that will be a feast. We'll have family over, George even, and just celebrate that our Lord is risen!"

"Sounds great," Penny smiled.

"Now, as for tomorrow. Missy, George, and Meemaw will meet us here, and we'll drive down to church. The service starts at 5; we need to leave here no later than 4 to get a seat. With that, I believe Shelly has something he needs to ask you." Mary got up and started to busy herself around the kitchen.

Sheldon rolled his eyes and huffed at his mother's bluntness. "Well, Penny, I was thinking that after church, you and I could go out to dinner, just the two of us."

"What about your mom and the rest of your family?"

"Well, I'd like it to be just me and you. Mother is fine with it, right Mom?"

"Yessir. I will be busier around here than a billy goat on an overgrown football field."

"Well, okay then! Where are we going?"

"It's this restaurant in downtown Galveston, called Jefferson Market. They have the best steaks in East Texas."

"Oh, Sheldon, we don't have to go anywhere special. You know me; I'm easy to please. Food-wise."

"Now, excuse me," he started. "Was I not supposed to 'spoil you' on our trip?" She felt heat rising to her face, hoping Mrs. Cooper did not interpret that phrase to indicate more than it truly meant. "Plus, you love steak. You are in Texas. Would you go to New York and not get a slice of pizza? Would you go to Hawaii and not partake in fresh coconut? Would you go to the United Kingdom and not get fish and chips?"

"Okay, I got it!" she replied impatiently. "When it Texas, eat as Texans do."

"Essentially, yes. That would be the correct idiom."

"Sheldon, I didn't really bring anything super nice to wear, as far as evening-wear."

"Well, you brought clothes for church, right?" Penny nodded in response. "Well, that should be just fine. I'm sure my mother has something you can borrow if need be."

She chuckled. "Oh, sweetie, you really think I could fit into a dress your tiny mother wears?" He just stared back at her, confused. "You really do! Oh, that's so nice. My sweet, sweet Sheldon. You are priceless."

* * *

After lunch and helping Mrs. Cooper clean the kitchen, Sheldon and Penny watched television in the living room. Since it was a trip and he relaxed his routine on trips, she was able to talk him into watching Game Show Network with her. Surprisingly, he got really into it.

He was terrible at Family Feud. But, it shouldn't have surprised her, because Sheldon's brain is wired just a little bit differently than everyone else's.

They were currently watching The Newlywed Game. Sheldon was obviously uncomfortable with some of the questions and answers on the show, judging by the hue of his face. "These people really share such personal aspects of their lives in public? This just baffles me."

"So no Newlywed Game for us, then?" she kidded.

"God no. And may I add, thanks to you, I can never hear or say the phrase 'whoopee' ever again!"

She snickered.

They heard a car pull up. They both stood, ready to greet Missy and Meemaw. They walked toward the doorway.

The door opened and the first figure they saw was Missy's. Missy went to hug Penny. "So good to see ya again, Penny!"

"You too," the blonde hugged back. "You definitely need to come visit Pasadena soon."

Missy then briefly hugged her brother. "Well, isn't it my baby brother, looking as difficult and judgmental as ever."

"Ah yes, my sister was a gentle soul until years of dealing with the public at Fuddruckers put a mouth on her." He raised his eyebrows at Missy.

"I'm with you there, sister," Penny commiserated.

Sheldon was anxiously looking past his sister out the door. "Missy, where's Meemaw? You were supposed to pick her up!"

"Relax, Shelly-Bean. Mrs. Neidermeyer next door was plantin' some flowers in her garden and Meemaw saw fit to give her some gardenin' tips. Tell her what she's doing wrong, basically," she directed to the blonde.

"Gosh, sweetie, I think I know where you get it," she looked affectionately up at her boyfriend.

When Meemaw appeared in the doorway, Penny only got a glimpse of her before Sheldon charged at the older lady and crushed her with a hug. It was a real hug, the kind that Penny didn't know he even knew how to give. His embraces had certainly improved over time, but typically when he held her; it was very sweet and tender. What he was doing now was reminiscent of a small child being reunited with a parent after getting lost in the mall.

Finally, Sheldon let go of his grandmother, and stepped aside. He let Meemaw inside, and turned to shut the front door. When he turned back, he saw both Meemaw and Penny staring at each other.

His girlfriend was speechless. There were no words that would come out. Meemaw was squinting her eyes, seemingly wondering if her eyesight was failing her.

After what felt like hours, Penny was able to choke out, "Noreen?"

The older woman smiled. "It _is_ you. I thought…"

Sheldon continued to look back and forth between the two women. He looked to Missy for help, and she only looked back with eyes wide, questioning.

He put his hand on Meemaw's shoulder. "Yes, this is my Meemaw, Noreen. And this is Penny," he motioned.

Penny looked at Sheldon, eyes as large as saucers. "We've…we've met."

* * *

The entire gang had found seats in the living room, and Mary joined them. "Well, Melissa, why didn't you come get me and let me know you were here?"

"Well, we just got here, and then, things got weird momma."

Mary sat down in a chair facing the sofa and tried to analyze the situation. "Um, Sweet Pea, you want to tell me what's goin' on?"

Her son responded without peeling his eyes from Meemaw and Penny. "I would if I could. I'm not ashamed to admit, in this case, I do not know."

Penny turned to Mary, "We have actually met before." She wagged a finger between Meemaw and herself.

"Well, I'll be!"

"That has been established," Sheldon said irritably "Would either of you care to fill in the details?"

Meemaw started: "I was on a tour bus, goin' on up to Mount Rushmore. The community where I live organized it, and there was about 45 of us I'd say makin' the trip. I can't remember how long ago it was."

"I was 17 at the time," Penny volunteered.

"I don't remember you telling me about any trips?"

"Well, you were away at one of your fancy institutions. It never came up. Anywho, we got 'bout halfway through Oklahoma, and Gerald Irvin had himself a diabetic spell. We had to pull that bus up to the closest hospital and get him checked out. We were due for a break from ridin' anyway; we needed to get out and stretch our legs. Well, while Gerald was bein' seen for his illness, I went explorin' through the hospital. I happened by a room, and I heard a voice, justa hummin' along, la-dee-dahing."

Penny smiled, but her expression turned to a glare, at Sheldon's question. "And you went _into_ the room?"

"I sure did. The lovely young thing explained that she was on a trip away from home, and her parents were on their way, but wouldn't be there for a while. I thought of Melissa, and how I'd feel if she was all by her lonesome in a hospital far from home."

Penny took over part of the story. "I had traveled to Oklahoma for Regionals for my junior rodeo team. I had a little bit of an incident, and got beaten up pretty bad. They took me to the hospital by ambulance. The coaches stayed at the arena with the team, but promised to come as soon as everything was all over. I didn't have anything broken, but they wanted to keep me for observation, in case of internal bleeding or concussions or whatever."

"She looked mighty rough, but she was a tough girl."

"My parents hadn't come along for this trip, so they had to drive all the way from Nebraska. But, your Meemaw came in and kept me company, for a couple of hours, until my coaches and team got there. She asked me about my life and was so kind. She helped me keep my mind off how scared I should have been."

"Well, if that ain't the strangest story," Mary added.

"Meemaw told me a little bit about herself too; I knew her as Noreen, for one. She told me that she had lost her husband many years prior, but that she had never felt the urge to marry or even date anyone ever again. She said she had experienced her life's one great love, and it would be an insult to try to match it. She told me she had grandkids. She even told me about her 'special' grandson that was head and shoulders smarter than anyone in town."

"And, just before I left, you were gaggin' on that green jello they brought you. Do you remember what I brought you from the vending machine, Sugar?"

"A moon pie."

Sheldon couldn't explain it. But, he felt his eyes well up with moisture. He mentally steeled himself, trying to force the wetness back down into the tear ducts from where they came. He didn't want to lose it in front of everyone. Dr. Cooper didn't believe in coincidences. He didn't believe in moments of chance. But, how could he explain _this_?

"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "You guys are all in on this, right? Bazinga?"

The silence in the room spoke volumes.

He turned to his mother. "You never showed Meemaw pictures? Or my Facebook page? Or anything?"

Missy fielded the question for Mary. "Well, honestly, we thought your relationship was one big bazinga ourselves. Our Shelly had himself a girlfriend? And that it was _Penny_? We had prepared ourselves for the distinct probability that you was foolin' with us."

"But Missy, we are friends on Facebook," Penny said. "You've seen pictures and posts and that I am in a relationship with your brother."

"You have no idea the depths to which my brother would go for a prank. For all we know, he had somethin' on ya, and roped ya into goin' along with it."

"Long story short, we didn't want to get Meemaw's hopes up with pictures of a real girl. We just told her to wait till he brought his lady home. We didn't think he'd actualyl bring a lady home!" Mary finished.

Sheldon's feelings were conflicted. He was boggled at the sheer absurdity that had just transpired, saddened that his family had gone months without totally believing he was in a relationship, and relieved that he was pretty sure he would have Meemaw's blessing.

* * *

Supper that evening had been extraordinary as was expected, and Missy and Meemaw had departed shortly thereafter.

As for Mary, she had a special Good Friday edition of her bible study to get to, so she left after she got all the dishes put away. As she grabbed her purse, both her son and his girlfriend were on their respective laptops mindlessly playing video games. Kaboom this and blast that.

"Well, you two have fun," she watched them strangely, before disappearing out the door.

Penny heard Mrs. Cooper pull away. "Sheldor?" She didn't spare him a look.

"Queen Penelope?" His eyes were fixed on the screen.

She shut her laptop quickly. "I think I'm done."

Sheldon followed suit. "Me too." He dove for her quickly.

"Wait!" she pushed him away and turned her head before he could make any contact. "Stop it."

He sat up straight. "What is it?"

"Well, don't you think it is kind of disrespectful to do _this_ under your mom's roof? It feels wrong."

He rolled his eyes in response. "No, of course it isn't wrong to do this in my mother's home." His eyes got wide and found hers. "Wait, what is _this_?"

She shoved him back again. "Not _that_, geez! Just taking advantage of your mother's religious plans to get physical…"

"We could have gotten a hotel," he countered pointedly. "That said, she did instruct us to have fun. She didn't put any parameters on how we should have such fun."

This time, she didn't pull away when he advanced toward her. But, instead of eagerly pursuing her lips, he kissed her with a deep passion. He was slow and methodical with his perfect mouth. It was as if he was trying to seduce her with each painstakingly gentle movement.

He pulled away and embraced her tightly, "I love you," he murmured into her ear.

"Mmmm. I love you too," she said back.

She pushed him down until he was completely on his back, and she laid on top of him, body pressed against his. The kissed gently at first, but eventually, lust crept into their bodies. It didn't take long until they were shirtless and the body heat between them was palpable. She was nibbling along his neck, and she felt his fingers dig into her hips, which led to her biting down a little bit too hard into his skin.

He let out a pained sound. "I'm sorry!" she said horrified.

He continued to kiss along her chest, and then responded to her. "If my shirts do not cover that spot, it will be you that shall explain that mark to my mother….and Meemaw." He grinned.

They continued to kiss intensely, until they no longer had control of the reactions of their bodies. Sheldon's hips bucked up and down subconsciously, and Penny's core began to move in rhythm with him. She felt his biological reaction very clearly, and he groaned as she pushed against it, as if in pain.

"Oh sweetie," she said sympathetically. They both sat up to take a breather.

Sheldon was embarrassed. "Penny, I am sincerely sorry for my bodily response. I would never want to make you uncomfortable." He looked down.

She reached down to unbutton and unzip his pants. She tugged, and he moved his hips to help get the trousers down the rest of the way and off his long, lean frame. His eyes were glued to the button on her khaki skirt. Nothing else existed in his mind except for that little button.

"Sweetie, go ahead, it's fine."

He reached out, and his hands trembled as he attempted to unbutton her skirt. It took longer than it should have taken someone with multiple degrees and an IQ of 187, but Penny found his nerves charming.

Once again, Sheldon let out a pained growl. "Let me," she said softly and reached out to cup his arousal.

"No," he contended. "You first."

She turned and faced him. He reached down and gently pushed her thighs apart to give him access. He kissed her stomach and the hips that he enjoyed so much. He slipped his long fingers underneath her panties on either side of her hips. Before tugging them off of her, he kissed her through her underwear. The clothing covering the most sacred part of her body was noticeably wet, he observed. He placed numerous slow kisses through the fabric.

Penny's breathing was shallow, and she was letting out strangled sighs. He found a spot that seemed to most please his girlfriend, as with each osculation, her body jerked and she gripped her hands into the couch tightly.

"Oh God, Sheldon," she struggled to get out. "I can't…much more…please." Her words were coming out in fragmented sentences.

They both heard it plain as day: a car had pulled up, and they both looked at the clock. They jumped up and gathered up their clothing quickly.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," she said worriedly. Once she had all her clothes, she ran off toward her guest room. "I better be getting to bed!" she yelled without looking behind her.

With his items in hand, Sheldon went for the stairs, "Yes, and I definitely need to shower," he yelled back. He scurried up the stairs swiftly.

"G'night!" was the last thing he heard her say before hearing his mother's bedroom door slam shut.


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey guys! Sorry for the delay! Hopefully, this chapter more than makes up for it! A lot happens in this one._

_I do not own the Big Bang Theory. Sorry. _

* * *

Sheldon spent much of his morning holed up in his room, on the computer. His mother's cable did not carry the channel that broadcast Doctor Who, so that was a disappointment. Honestly, though, he was just mentally preparing himself to go downstairs, where he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to look Penny _or_ his mother in the face.

Fortunately, his mom did not see anything, but while he was showering the night before, he kept playing and re-playing in his mind what the scenario would have been like had they not heard her pull up. He had a very clear vision of how his mother would have reacted, and it wasn't pretty. Despite not getting caught, the guilt was very real.

When he finally made it down to the kitchen, his mother was up, boiling and dying more eggs.

"Good morning, baby," she greeted.

"Morning, mom," he replied. "You didn't have to do all this; I was hoping to take care of it first thing tomorrow."

"It's no trouble at all. I went to the market first thing this mornin' and bought some more eggs. I'd say about five more eggs and we should be ready to go."

"About five or five?" Sheldon gave his mother a look.

"Exactly five, my fussy child."

"Good."

"How ya feelin'?"

He was standing in the middle of the kitchen wringing his hands. "I'm feeling some distress in my abdominal region."

"Sick?"

He shook his head.

"Nerves?"

"I believe so."

"I'm all outta cocoa. How 'bout I make ya some sweet tea?"

"Thank you, Mother."

Mary made the tea and popped it in the fridge to chill, and then she finished up with the eggs, put those in the refrigerator as well, and cleaned the mess.

She put some ice into a glass, poured some tea, and put it on the table. "There ya go, Shelly."

He received the drink gratefully.

"Baby, if you are having second thoughts, that's okay. No one will think any less of ya."

"Second thoughts about what?" Penny asked brightly as she made her way into the kitchen.

A much more skilled fibber than her son, Mary answered. "Well, my Shelly was thinkin' of coming with me to go visit his daddy's grave tomorrow mornin'. But, now he's not sure. And that's okay." She patted her son's arm.

Sheldon stood up, determined to leave the room. However, he waffled back and forth between going out the back door for some fresh air or going to the living room. So, he ended up walking in circles, looking mixed up.

"Hey, where's my bagel from yesterday?" Penny asked.

The brilliant physicist haphazardly waved his arms toward the kitchen counter, but intentionally avoided any eye contact with his girlfriend. He left the room and settled himself on the couch.

After Penny had finished her bagel, she joined him in the living room, taking a seat on the sofa right next to his. His face immediately turned a soft shade of pink. He stood up quickly, and went for the stairs, leaving his girlfriend looking very perplexed. Mary Cooper was peeking out from the kitchen and saw the exchange.

"Sheldon Lee!" Mary yelled from the kitchen. "You get your butt in here right now!"

He skulked back to the kitchen and faced his mother. "Yes?"

"What the devil is goin' on with you this mornin'? You are actin' mighty strange."

He looked down at his feet. "I'm fine."

"Now, listen here, son. If you are havin' cold feet, it's not too late to take a step back and re-evaluate your plans. But, if somethin' is goin' on, you don't want that hangin' over your head, especially during such an important moment."

"It's not cold feet. It's all the other frivolous nonsense. If I could, I would go off to Las Vegas and marry Penny tonight. But, that's not the kind of wedding she deserves. She deserves the kind of wedding where everything is booked a year in advance. When this becomes official, all of the sudden, we will be planning a huge affair, which means waiting even longer to get married."

"Well, Shelly, tonight, next week, next year. What has ya in such a hurry anyway? Why are you so upset about having to wait a while?"

Sheldon blushed fiercely, and the gears in Mary's mind clicked into place. "No!" she put her hands over her mouth and gasped.

He rolled his eyes in response.

"You're….I mean you're…this is…"

"Yes, I mean, I don't know." He really didn't know. "We've not talked about it. It's not been explicitly said. That just seems to be the direction and pace we're going."

Mary threw herself at her son. "Jesus listens to prayers, Cupcake, don't you forget it."

"Mom, really? That's all you got?"

"Go talk to her, baby. Smooth things out. You'll feel better."

Mary watched again from the kitchen as Sheldon returned to the living room and sat down beside Penny. Her eyes welled with tears at seeing her boy act with such tenderness. Even though she couldn't hear what they were saying, the scene unfolded beautifully, the way he leaned toward her, the familiarity they had with each other, the comfort in their touches, all she could do was thank the Lord.

* * *

The blonde was flipping through a magazine, when Sheldon sank down next to her. "Penny?" his voice was low and he was leaning close to her.

She returned his gaze. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say that I am truly sorry for the events that transpired last night. It was irresponsible of me."

She let out an annoyed sigh and returned to her magazine. "Two people were involved. We are both responsible, Sheldon."

"If you say so."

"You know, it's kind of funny your mom came home when she did," Penny laughed. "Saved by the bell, huh?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, it's almost like it was a sign, ya know? That we shouldn't have been…doing what we were doing."

She was too busy flipping pages to see the brief flash of anger in his eyes. Sheldon grabbed her firmly by the wrist, pulled her up, and jerked her out the front door, slamming it behind him.

Before Penny could get a word out, Sheldon rounded on her, his eyes a much deeper blue than usual. "Why don't you want to have sex with me?"

"I'm sorry, what?" she choked out.

He repeated the question, annunciating each word precisely and with purpose.

"Well, for one, I didn't think you would be ready for that step yet or would even want to take that step. For two, we are at your mother's house. This isn't really an appropriate conversation."

"Fine. Fine. Hypothetically, I'm ready. Now, what's your excuse?"

"Sheldon, I don't want to sleep with you just yet. I never considered sex to be a factor in our relationship. And, that's what I like about it."

"I see. So, you are a big ol' five when it comes to bringing strange men home to your apartment. But, when it comes to me, the guy you've been with for over a year, you are suddenly all virtuous?"

Penny's eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't you dare! My entire life, I have been seen for my sexuality…until you. You saw me for more."

Sheldon gathered his emotions. "Penny, I apologize. It is not that I see you as a sexual being that I want to conquer. I see you as the woman I love and want to be with. It was my own insecurity that led to this outburst."

"_Your_ insecurity?"

"As I said before, you went to bed with complete strangers on a number of occasions. And here I am, pure as the driven snow. It worries me that you don't find me attractive in that way."

"I find you attractive in _every_ way," the blonde raised her voice. "You are the most attractive man I've ever known." She was met with a very disbelieving look on the face across from her. "I mean it! Not only are you gorgeous, I'm attracted to your mind. I'm attracted to your heart."

He muttered under his breath, and his girlfriend asked him to repeat himself.

"But, what if we are not compatible?" He looked down at his shoes. "Sexually, I mean."

"I'm not worried about that. But, for what it's worth, haven't we been pretty compatible so far? Can't you feel it when we hold hands? When we kiss?"

"Of course I do, Penny. But, I also know how much Leonard disappointed you in the bedroom, and his experience far surpasses mine."

"Sheldon, when we take the next step, and we will, you have to understand, it's not going to be about experience or compatibility or any of that. It will be about our love for each other. Everything else will work itself out."

He stepped forward and took his lovely girl in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head. "Thank you, Penny."

She pulled away. "No problem, sweetie. It will happen. We just have to let it happen naturally. We'll both know when it's the right time. Just don't Sheldon it up, and we'll be fine," she added as a joke.

She walked towards the door, but Sheldon cut her off. "Sheldon it up? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, planning, researching, analyzing."

"Um, excuse me?" he was furious. "Have I not been an adequate boyfriend to you?"

Penny was exhausted. "Of course you have."

"I don't seem to recall you complaining about our first date and first kiss, both of which required a great deal of preparation. I seem to remember you thinking they were romantic."

"They were!"

"Well, maybe if you are so concerned about me inflicting my personality into our first intimate time together, or Sheldoning it up as you put it, maybe we shouldn't be having intimate relations at all."

"What?" she asked hurt.

"I believe you heard me. If you are so concerned about me ruining our sex life, maybe we both just need a break to figure out what we both want."

It was miniscule. If she wasn't focused on him, she would have missed it. There was a tiny spasm to his mouth. "You don't want that," she whispered.

No, he didn't. There were a number of things he wanted. A Nobel Prize. A slice of his Meemaw's strawberry pie. To kiss Penny till their lips were raw. A break was certainly not one of them.

They both turned, as they heard a car pulling up the drive. They watched from the porch, until a man got out of the car. The man was about 5'10 and slightly husky, but he was unmistakably a Cooper. He was wearing a plaid shirt and a nice pair of blue jeans. He looked clean, but he just seemed like the kind of guy that didn't like dressing up, even for Easter.

* * *

"Well, well, well," the guy surveyed the pair. "What do we have here?" He moved closer to the house.

"Junior," Sheldon said in acknowledgement.

"Sheldork," Junior smirked.

"Penny, this is my older brother George, Junior."

"Hello," she said simply.

"I knew it would happen. I knew that one of these days, you'd do it. And you did it."

Sheldon couldn't help but feel his ego inflate at what he believed to be brotherly pride. He grinned proudly at his brother.

Junior walked up the steps to the porch and faced them. "So, sugar, what do you go for? 500, 1000 bucks a day?"

"Excuse me?" Penny shot back.

"Well, I knew that one day, he would go off the rails and hire one of your kind to come home with him and pretend to be his lady companion. And, here ya are."

"Junior…" Sheldon warned.

"Boy, that school of yours must pay you mighty handsomely. Droppin' five large, shoot. I mean, she _is_ a pretty little thing. But, for that kinda money, I hope you are gettin' some hard and often."

"Junior, you are out of line."

Junior turned to Penny. "So, baby, what would it cost me for an hour or two with ya tonight?" When she didn't respond, he asked Sheldon, "Alright, brother, what'll it cost me to take this gal off your hands for a little while? Name your price."

"I am not for sale," the blonde girl could take care of herself. "Now, why don't you get back in your hick wagon and go on back home. Because, the only sex you are getting tonight is from your cows. Moo. Moo." She glared.

"Well, sweet doggie, you better watch yourself. You gotta mighty big mouth on you…for a hooker."

It all happened so fast. One second, she was staring angrily at clearly the worst of the Cooper bunch. The next, she saw Sheldon charging at him. He grabbed his brother's shirt and pushed him back until he hit the porch railing. Tall and lanky, this did not stop him from giving the much sturdier man a strong shove.

Penny gasped as she saw Junior fall over the railing the short distance to the ground below. He was struggling on the ground in pain, and before he could make it to his feet, Sheldon was down the stairs. He pulled his fist back, and gave him a right cross to the cheek.

"Arrgh," Junior let out. Sheldon didn't stop. He came back with his left. Then, his right again. Penny knew she should stop him, but after what his brother had put him through as a child and what he had just said to her, she thought he was getting exactly what he deserved.

Mary Cooper came flying out the front door before it could get much further. "Sheldon Lee Cooper, what in the world are you doing?!"

He stood up straight. His face was flushed, he was sweaty, and his hair was all over the place. His girlfriend silently admonished herself for thinking he looked good, really good.

"Mrs. Cooper…" Penny rushed over to her.

"Mom," she corrected.

"Right. Sheldon was just defending me. It was wrong of him, very wrong. But, I've never seen him like this. He was only doing it because he was provoked."

"Junior?" she questioned.

When he didn't speak, his younger brother did. "George here thought it was proper to call my girlfriend a prostitute. He told me to name a price so that he could have her himself."

"Junior, is this true?"

The beaten man was finally sitting up, looking like he had been run over by a train. "Come on, momma, you know Shelly has always been an over-sensitive baby."

"Mrs. Cooper, Mom, I don't condone violence, but in this case, it wasn't Sheldon's fault. He was defending my honor, and I'm proud of him," she gazed at her tall knight in shining armor warmly.

Mary decided to let it go. "Well, we'll have no more of this. We are going to be going to church like a happy normal family. Junior, you come along and I'll get you cleaned up. You two better be gettin' ready."

The two looked shyly at each other. "Thanks," Penny said quietly.

"No need to thank me," he came back up the steps to the porch. "You shouldn't have heard what he said about you. I apologize."

She took his hand. "I am madder at what he said about you. To assume that the only way you could get a girl would be to pay for one. He's just jealous at how successful you are."

"If he is jealous, it is obviously because I have such a feisty, beautiful woman by my side."

"Let's go get ready," she smiled gently.

* * *

Missy and Meemaw had shown up right at 4. Sheldon had been relieved, as he was worried about having to listen to his mother hemming and hawing all night.

Penny had looked the portrait of a lady. She was wearing a high-waisted fuchsia pencil skirt, with a classic white blouse, with only the top button undone. Her hair was left down, but kept out of her face by a simple headband. Sheldon was shocked to see that she was even wearing a pair of pantyhose, with rosette patterns all along her legs. She had a pair of plain pink flats on, to match her skirt. He also noticed that he quite liked the bright pink lipstick she wore. He thought she was stunning without makeup and rarely saw her in something so bold.

Sheldon was handsome as always. He had paired a pair of navy blue trousers with a light blue button up shirt. The fit on both garments were spot on. He had also put on a diagonally patterned tie. His blue eyes looked stunning.

They had walked into the small church hand in hand, and caught a lot of stares. Penny wasn't sure if it was because they recognized her from her show or if they were amazed that not only was Sheldon Cooper at church at all, but that he also had a lady. Probably both, she had reasoned.

The service had been nice. Everyone was dressed up and in a good mood for Easter. While the boisterous nature of this particular church was not her cup of tea, she had found that she didn't oppose to being in the church in and of itself. She liked the sense of community.

Sheldon had a much different reaction. It was unexplained and worrisome. He looked at all the families in attendance, and the one thing he couldn't get out of his head the entire service was the image of him, Penny, and their children sitting all in a row on a Sunday, in a church. No matter how much he shook the ridiculous notion, his mind kept drifting back to the same thought.

Mary had taken notice that not one single time during the trip had her son complained about going to church. He hadn't snorted cynically. He hadn't made rude comments about her beliefs. She didn't think it meant much, but she was pleased.

After the service was over, Missy, Meemaw, Mary, and Junior were going to stick around and socialize. Luckily, Penny and Sheldon had driven separately, so they were able to leave for their date straight from the church.

* * *

Penny had noticed Sheldon smirking to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just…you look so beautiful and classy, and then, you are driving this big ol' truck like a pro." He watched as she shifted gears.

"Yup," she replied proudly. "You lucked out, Sheldon Cooper, and don't you forget it."

Jefferson's Market was a very nice restaurant; it was more casual than Devareaux's, but still had a nice atmosphere. It was situated along a canal downtown, so it had an old-fashioned watermill turning. It looked very rustic from the exterior.

Once inside, Penny could see the appeal. Rather than the dark wood tones and candlelit ambiance, this restaurant was well-lit and expansive. The ceiling itself was very tall, at least 30 feet. Two walls of the building were floor-to-ceiling windows. There were no booths; it consisted of all tables. On the tables were arrangements of brightly colored flowers.

The staff seemed very professional and the patrons sophisticated.

They were shown to a lovely table right next to one set of windows that overlooked the canal. Always chivalrous, Sheldon held Penny's chair out for her before going to his own seat. Sheldon stuck with water, while she ordered a glass of white wine.

This was another area that Penny was particularly proud of. She rarely drank anymore. When she did, it was usually one glass with dinner. She only had two bottles of wine in the apartment, and she hadn't even opened them in months. No longer did she gulp down wine like it was fruit juice. She sipped it. She was amazed that she found wine to be even more enjoyable when it was a special treat and savored. Hmmm…perhaps a metaphor for her current relationship, she thought.

She didn't need alcohol or sex to feel complete. She had more of a sense of maturity now than she ever had before in her life. And, she owed it all to her teatotaling virgin of a boyfriend.

* * *

After their drinks came, they placed their meal order. She chose the filet cooked medium, while he went with the porterhouse cooked medium well.

"Penny, I have something weighing heavily on my mind."

"Go on."

"Do you think we've, er, I've wronged Leonard?"

"Most days, yes," she joked. "Do you mean something specific?"

"Me and you."

"What?"

"It occurs to me that I never asked his permission to court you, the woman who broke his heart."

"Sure, the first few weeks after we split were hard. But, he has been dating around for months now. Why? Does he seem unhappy?"

"No, by all accounts, he has been pleasant and rather supportive of our relationship."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I've been told on numerous occasions that social propriety dictates that a man not become romantic with his friend's exes."

"Well, it's a little too late for that, now isn't it?"

"I suppose. I just don't want guilt weighing on me as we continue our relationship. Does that make sense?"

"Then, don't feel guilty. I don't. And, I have even more reason to feel badly than you do. I dumped the guy."

"Can I ask another question, somewhat related?"

"Do you think if Leonard hadn't spoken to you that day, or ever, that we would have become friends, or more?"

"If Leonard hadn't stopped and spoken to me that day, I think there is a real chance that we would have gotten together faster."

"Faster?" Sheldon was mystified.

"Listen, it's not something I really think about too much. It's like your many universes theory. There are probably many universes out there where Leonard didn't talk to me. I suppose you'd have to go to one of them to get your answer." She paused. "If I were painting a picture in my mind though, I think we would have met eventually, getting mail or passing on the stairs, in the laundry room. I would be attracted to you, and you would be attracted to me, at least I think." At this, Sheldon nodded vigorously. "We would have kept it casual, no dinners, no video games at your place. Just two neighbors that happened to talk to each other now and then. After a few weeks, I would have asked you out. And you would have said yes, if nothing else to get away from whatever drama was happening in your group at the moment. And that would have been that."

"All this time, I have felt slight guilt at dating Leonard's ex-girlfriend. I felt like I owed him my life, because if he hadn't talked to you, we wouldn't have met. I felt a debt of gratitude to him that manifested itself in the form of shame."

"Here is what I think. And laugh, if you must, because I know you don't believe in fate or destiny or any of that stuff. But, I feel like when something is meant to be, it will be. I know this goes against your idea of many universes where each action creates a new fabric in time or whatever the heck it is. But, I think no matter what choice you make, the universe knows how things should be and will always work itself out. Whether I had stayed in Nebraska or you had gotten stranded in the Arctic or I had become a famous actress or you had become a professional poker player, I truly think that somehow the universe would have found a way for us to meet."

Sheldon was nearly speechless. "Penny, I…don't know what to say."

"That's okay, Sheldon," she chuckled. "You don't have to have an answer or opinion on everything, you know."

"Oh, I shall always have an opinion. But, in this case, I don't believe I can express it as articulately as you just did."

* * *

They had enjoyed their dinner, and Sheldon was right. Penny loved that steak! She had only made it through half her glass of wine, so she had been perfectly capable of making the drive back to the Cooper abode.

As they pulled up the drive, Sheldon instructed her to pull around to the back. Shifting the gear expertly, she pulled through the grass and down the sloped backyard until he told her to stop. They had reached a clearing.

He jumped out of the passenger side of the truck and ran around the front, to open the driver's door for Penny. He took her hand to help her out of the truck, with her mobility slightly hindered by the pencil skirt.

He grabbed a blanket that he had earlier put in the bed of the truck, and unfolded it, spreading it all along the inside of the truck bed. He pulled down the tailgate and hopped up into the truck.

Penny followed his lead and carefully sat on the tailgate to pull herself up into the truck.

"Do you need help?" he asked, wishing that he had any upper body strength at all, so that he could be macho and swiftly pick her up himself.

"Nah, I got it," she pulled her legs to the side and scooted her body up until she was fully inside the bed of the truck.

Sheldon walked on his knees toward the cab of the vehicle, turned around and lay down, leaving his arm intentionally extended. His companion smiled and followed him, doing the same, until she was nestled against him, head laying on his arm.

"It's been a while since we've done this, huh?" she asked.

"Too long," he admitted. "But, I thought you might find it particularly nice to be able to see the view under the unspoiled Texas sky."

"It does seem better. The stars seem brighter and clearer."

"They do, don't they?"

"Can I talk to you about something, Sheldon?"

"You know you can."

"I've been thinking a lot lately. I love my job, and I do hope to continue doing some acting. But, I don't see it as the end all, be all of my life anymore. I mean, eventually, if we get married and have kids, I want to be around for them, stay home with them and take care of them."

"Okay?"

"Do you like it at Caltech?"

"What?"

"Do you see yourself working there, you know, forever?"

"Penny, Caltech is one of the premier universities in the world for the kind of research I do. I cannot say forever, but for the foreseeable future, yes. Why?"

"I love Pasadena, I do. And, all our friends are there. But, it may not always be that way. I kind of like the idea of raising our kids in a smaller community. And, I really want our kids to have family around. I want them to have grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles."

"Um…"

"I think it would be really selfish of us to deprive our children of a chance to know their family." Penny's voice became more inflicted with nerves. "I'm not asking you to move to Nebraska or anything. I know it would be hard to choose whether to live closer to your mom or closer to my folks; maybe we could live halfway, somewhere in Kansas perhaps?"

"I really am not sure what to say."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "You don't have to. All I wanted to say was…well, I don't mind Texas."

He turned his head to look at her, and she held his gaze, giving him a half smile. He kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Penny, you're beautiful. Speaking of beauty, do you see Venus?"

"No, where?"

He pointed up to a very bright flicker in the sky. "Just there."

"The one next to the elephant?"

"No. The one next to the cocker spaniel wearing a party hat."

They spent the rest of their evening looking for star animals in the sky.

* * *

When they made it back to the house, it was well after midnight. Sheldon wished Penny a goodnight and went on up to his bedroom, passing Junior asleep on the couch.

He brushed his teeth and changed into some pajamas. He thought to himself that he still had a little bit to do tomorrow morning, and he really didn't want Junior to cause any sort of commotion, waking up Penny in the process.

He grabbed a pillow and went back downstairs. Once he reached the sofa, he shook his brother lightly. He attempted to maintain a safe distance away, concerned about Junior's violent tendencies.

Junior stirred for a moment and then opened his eyes. His words came out jumbled, but eventually, Sheldon heard a "What do you want?"

"Why don't you go on up and take my bed? I'll take the couch tonight."

His brother didn't even argue. He just stood up, patted Sheldon on the shoulder, and walked up the stairs in a tired stupor.

Sheldon grabbed a blanket and proceeded to create a pallet on the couch. Just before he was going to turn the light out, he saw Penny peek her head out of his mother's room.

She had already changed into sleeping clothes herself and was holding a toothbrush. "Hey, I thought I heard you. Sleeping on the couch?"

"Yes, well, I told Junior he could have my bed for the night, so here I am."

The warmth on her face was noticeable. "Aw. There's room in here if you want?" She disappeared back into the room, presumably to finish her oral hygiene regimen.

He stood there scandalized. The idea of sharing a bed in his mother's home with someone he was not married to? It was preposterous. The idea of sharing _his mother's_ bed with his girlfriend? That took things to a whole new level of outrageous.

Penny popped out of the room again, this time without her toothbrush. "Hey! Come to bed," she urged sweetly.

He found it very hard to resist her in general, but in those times when she beckoned him to join her in such intimate situations, he became putty in her hands. He turned the light out and walked to his mother's room.

She crawled into bed, and he walked to the other side and slinked into bed with her. She cozied up to him and said quietly, "Good night, Sheldon" before giving him a lingering kiss on the mouth. His hands immediately encircled her waist, as he returned her kiss enthusiastically.

The blonde pulled away before things could get too out of hand, and flipped her body over so that her back was facing him. She was glad they were laying in the dark, because she could feel the heat in her face; she was certain it was a deep shade of red.

He certainly did not help matters when he pushed himself up against her, gently brushed the hair off her shoulders and started to kiss her neck gingerly. She bit her bottom lip to keep noises of satisfaction from escaping.

He laid his head on the pillow and tightened his hold around her. "Someday, we'll be able to do all kinds of things in this house, and since we'll be married, Mom won't have an argument against it," he joked.

"Oh God, Sheldon," she groaned.

"Yes, that's what _she'll_ hear."

"We are not going to participate in marital relations in your mother's home for all to hear," Penny cringed.

"Fair enough."

"Now, when she comes to visit us, that's a whole different ball game."

* * *

When Sheldon awoke, he looked at the clock. It was 5:45 in the morning. He reluctantly got out from under the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Penny must have sensed his departure, because she sleepily mumbled, "Where you goin'?"

He leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go to the couch now. It's probably best that I be out there by the time my mom gets up." He knew that she would expect Junior, not himself on the couch, but in time, his mother would find out Junior slept upstairs and she would figure out where Sheldon slept.

What he didn't tell his girlfriend was that he still had something planned for her that he needed to work on.

He had executed the first phase of his plan and returned to the couch to get some more shut eye. Not even an hour later, his mother woke him up gently.

"Shelly, baby, it's almost eight."

"Okay Mom," he whined.

"Missy and Meemaw will be here any minute. Junior is up already. We're all going to go down and see your Daddy. I hope you'll join us."

Sheldon was more awake now, but still kept his eyes shut. He hadn't intended to be a part of the group's trip to visit his father's grave. His relationship with his father had been unstable at best. Plus, he wasn't sure he could take the chance that Penny would wake up and spoil the surprise he had planned for her.

He knew that the cemetery was only minutes away. Theoretically, they could have even walked to it. Surely, they would be there and back before Penny got up. He also realized this was the best opportunity to go over the plan with his family, as it may be the only opportunity for them to be alone all day.

So, he humbly agreed to accompany his family members to pay respects to his father, who incidentally never really respected him. Once Missy arrived, they took her car. Meemaw stayed behind at the house to get the meal started.

Sheldon asked her to assure him that she would be quiet and not make any noises that could wake up Penny. He laughed to himself, thinking as long as Meemaw didn't need to use a bull horn or a jet engine to cook, she would be fine.

* * *

He didn't feel the need to "talk to their father" the way his mother, Missy, and Junior did, talking like they were having just a regular conversation. His minimal belief in the afterlife precluded him from doing so. Although, "minimal" was actually an improvement from the "microscopic" that it was months ago.

He felt bad that despite his knowledge on what happens to the body after death, he didn't have the kind of relationship with his father that would make him want to talk to him, as if an old friend. Neither did Missy or Junior, but they were much better at letting bygones be bygones.

He thought back to the conversation he had with his mother. His father had an illness, a disease. This thought led to an even larger sense of sadness and loss. He wished he had known the real man his father was, the man that his mother cared for, not the man who was a verbally abusive alcoholic.

When he saw it, he did a double take. If he were any other person, he would have attributed it to some sort of divine intervention, a sign even. But, his logical self knew that it was probably put there by some kids running around.

But, regardless, there it was, plain as day. Sitting right on top of his father's headstone was a bright, shiny penny. When he picked up the coin and examined it, his hand started to shake. It was a beautiful penny indeed. And, it was dated 1985…the year Penny was born.

* * *

Penny would have slept through lunch if they had let her. She was exhausted from the late night before, and considering the wonderful dreams that invaded her sleep, she wasn't sure she ever wanted to get up.

Her sleep was momentarily interrupted. She blinked twice, and before she could roll over to return to her slumber, she detected Sheldon's figure sitting on the bed above her.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked at him. "How long have you been there?"

"Oh a little while. I was sent to wake you up. It's after noon, and the food is just about ready."

"Oh my gosh. Yeah, I'd better get up then. If you were sent to wake me, why didn't you?"

He blushed only slightly. "I couldn't."

"You couldn't?"

"I enjoyed being able to watch you sleep."

"Well, that could be considered creepy."

"Is it?"

She reached up and caressed his cheek. "No. It means you like me."

"Yes, it does."

She giggled at the shirt he was wearing. It had a backdrop of the Tardis, with the script "Trust me, I'm the Doctor" on top.

"Well, you better get out of here and let me get ready. You're more than welcome to stay, but I don't imagine you want to return to your family with your face the color of a fire engine," she kidded him.

"Speaking of, Penny, there's quite a few people out there. Please, let me know if you are ever feeling overwhelmed."

"I will," she replied as she shooed him out of the bedroom.

* * *

Penny had brought a special dress, perfect for Easter. It was a knee length 50's style vintage dress that flared out at the hips. It was sleeveless and a light yellow color with white polka dots. She pulled her hair into a ponytail high on top of her head. She took a long string of faux pearls and dangled them around her neck. The final touch was a simple pair of white flip flops.

Sheldon wasn't kidding when he said they had a few more guests. Missy's boyfriend Skeeter was there, with his cousin Shanda, also a friend of Missy. Frannie and Lyle were in attendance, as well as his cousin Jeannie and her boyfriend, Andy. Also, Mary's brother and sister and their respective spouses came. If she had gotten the names right, it was Vernon and Hope, then Darla and Fred.

Penny introduced herself to the gang, most of which were in the living room watching television and chatting animatedly. She thought that Jeannie was nothing like she expected, especially when she was expecting the kind of girl that took her cousin to the prom. Jeannie was lovely and well-spoken. Of course, she of all people should know how much people can change since high school.

When Sheldon surfaced from the kitchen, they caught each other's eyes immediately. She fought back emotions as she saw him visibly swallow at the sight of her. Geez, she knew she looked nice, but she didn't think she looked _that_ good.

"Dinner is ready to be served. Come help yourselves," he spoke loudly.

Their kitchen was not large enough for a big dining room table, so a few people ate in the kitchen, while the rest ate in the living room. It was a casual atmosphere, but the food was top-notch in every way.

Sheldon and Penny waited for everyone else to go ahead of them to load up their plates with food. He grabbed for her hand, or maybe it was the other way around. Whichever way it was, they ended up with their hands joined as they waited for their meal.

When Mary spotted her son's beloved, she gushed. "Oh, dear, aren't you just the living, breathing embodiment of sunshine?" Mary Cooper may not be a beautiful mind genius, but Penny was pretty sure she could tell where Sheldon got his flair for dramatic language. The older woman's face swelled with tears. Once again, she found herself wondering what she had done to illicit such emotion.

She noticed that the kitchen was slightly dark. The blinds and curtains had been drawn. While she found it unusual, she was concentrating so hard on the amazing spread in front of her, she brushed it off rather quickly.

Penny overfilled her plate. She took a generous slice of ham as well as a piece of glazed chicken. There were au gratin potatoes and mac and cheese. She made sure to get a helping of steamed carrots. Noreen's made-from-scratch biscuits were the icing on the cake. Meemaw had even brought her own churned butter and homemade apple spread.

The two of them returned to the living room to dine and visit with family. They had lots of questions for her, of which only a couple were mildly inappropriate. She learned things about them as well, one of which was that Sheldon had exaggerated when referring to them as "low rent country bumpkins."

Frannie and Lyle were the first to leave, as they were spending the evening with his side of the family, and they had to make a two hour drive to get there.

Mary came into the living room. "Room for dessert?"

* * *

Sheldon didn't mind Skeeter, although he wished his name wasn't Skeeter. He wanted his sister to be happy, and despite her strong exterior, he knew she wanted to be married and raise a family.

Skeeter was not highly educated, but he had been trained from a young age to work at his family's successful bicycle repair and retail business. He seemed successful at his job, and acted like he really knew the business well. As an only child, once his father decided to retire, he would be solely responsible for the business, and it was a task he appeared to take quite seriously.

Sheldon made his way into the kitchen for dessert. There was a basket on the table, filled with Cadbury Eggs and other Easter candy. Also on the table was his grandmother's strawberry pie and a glass bowl full of Jello that had been molded into the shape of eggs. He took a slice of strawberry pie. Penny already had grabbed a handful of chocolate candy.

Back in the living room, Sheldon said, "You don't like strawberry pie?"

"I love chocolate!" she smiled.

"You can have more than one thing."

"Maybe later."

"Oh, that pie will be long gone by later. Would you at least like a bite?"

"Sure!" He intended to give her the fork to use herself, but he saw that she had leaned into him and opened her mouth, so he cut off a small piece of the pie and gently placed it in her mouth.

Penny's eyes lit up. "Mmmmmm!" She grabbed for his fork and he jerked it away, giving her a scolding look.

"No. This is mine. If you want some, you better go in there and get a piece."

He didn't have to tell her twice, as she jumped up and raced to the kitchen.

* * *

Two hours later, everyone had left except for Missy, Junior, and Meemaw. Missy and Meemaw were engaged in a game of War, while Junior was surprisingly helping his mom get the kitchen clean. Penny's head was resting on Sheldon's shoulder as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Junior came out from the kitchen, and Sheldon knew he was on. "Um, Penny, this has been a nice day, do you agree?"

She lifted her head. "Yes, it was great! I am stuffed, though."

"I forgot to tell you! We had a visitor this morning."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Well, why don't you come with me and find out?" He grabbed Penny's hand and pulled her up. He guided her through the kitchen, where Mary was sitting at the table, drinking some tea. Missy and Junior dutifully followed along.

Sheldon took a deep breath as he opened the back door, letting in a stream of light. Once she got past the light flooding her eyes, she looked toward the backyard. The grass was peppered with colored specks: eggs.

He saw that everything had registered on her face. "I believe he goes by the Easter Bunny?"

It took Penny a minute to tear her eyes from the scene and look up at her boyfriend. He softly pressed his hand to her back to push her out the door onto the back deck, and he and his siblings followed along.

There was a table on the deck, with three baskets sitting on top. Sheldon handed them out.

"You, Missy, and Junior, are going to be hunting for Easter eggs."

"What about you?" Penny frowned.

"Well, I hid...er, I mean I was present when the Easter Bunny hid them, so I would have an unfair advantage."

Penny was visibly excited and got on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You guys ready?" he asked. He received three nods in reply. He noticed his girl slip her flip flops off and leave them next to the door.

"There are _exactly_ 62 eggs. Got that? Okay, on your mark, get set, go!"

And, suddenly, the three of them were off, gathering eggs into their baskets. Sheldon was pretty sure his heart had temporarily stopped at the sight of Penny in her yellow dress and bare feet, running through the yard.

* * *

It seemed like they had scoured every nook and cranny when Mary yelled outside. "Missy, Junior, Shelly, Uncle Billy is on the phone and wants to say hi!"

Missy and Junior went inside with their baskets. Penny approached Sheldon. "I think we found them all."

Sheldon furrowed his brow. "No, I think there are more out there. Keep looking. I'll be right back."

He went inside. Of course, Uncle Billy hadn't called. He quickly counted the eggs in his siblings' baskets. Then, he needed to make a quick phone call of his own.

He went back out to the deck, and saw Penny frustrated looking in and under every possible hiding place.

"Are you sure…" she was going to ask him if he had counted right, but stopped when she saw the glare on his face. He knew what she was going to ask. "Maybe an animal took off with one?" she offered half-heartedly.

"Well, Missy got 22 eggs, Junior got 15. That's 39. How about we start counting your eggs?"

He sat on the deck step, and she sat next to him. He started to pull out eggs and count. "40…41…42. Penny you keep going, I am going to go re-count my brother's and sister's baskets."

"Sheldon?" she asked before he went inside.

"Yes?"

"It's a rather curious number, isn't it? 62? Not an even dozen or anything. It's very specific."

"Yes, well, keep counting." He went back toward the house, heart pounding through his chest.

He heard her continue "43…44…45…"

He quickly went into the kitchen and returned mere moments later.

* * *

Penny was down to the bottom of her basket and found herself annoyed. She really didn't want to have to recount her basket of eggs. She counted the last few slowly and deliberately. "58…50…60…61." She said the last number loudly. She hadn't heard Sheldon return outside, until she heard his voice.

"62," he said quietly.

She turned around and then stood up, when she saw he was standing there, looking at her with a bashful look, holding an egg in his hands. It was a yellow plastic egg, just larger than the real eggs they had been looking for.

"You were right. It is a very specific number. You see, over my time at the university, I have been presented with numerous problems, theories, and hypotheses to solve. I have, in fact, successfully and conclusively proven or refuted 61 of these cases." He had been looking her in the eyes, but his gaze dropped as he continued. "Until I made the most important discovery of my life. I'm hoping to get number 62 today." He lifted his eyes back to hers. "Penny, _you_ are my greatest achievement."

He held out the egg to her, and he saw her swallow nervously.

Penny took the egg and popped it open. She started to shake and felt her knees buckle. Sheldon was by her side immediately, holding her and leading her to sit down on a bench that ran the perimeter of the deck.

Right there, on top of a cluster of plastic grass sat a ring.

Sheldon sat next to her, and spoke again. He noticed that she had not yet taken her eyes off the ring. "Penny, I didn't think something like this would ever happen for me. But, I _knew_ it would happen for you. You are my best friend. And, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, arguing and making up and just…being best friends. I love you, and I will _always_ love you."

Penny's lips were trembling and her eyes full of tears. The floodgates opened as Sheldon dropped to his knee in front of her. He took the ring carefully out of the egg.

"Penny, please make me the luckiest man in the world. Will you marry me?"

She couldn't form words. She was crying and gasping for air. So, she just nodded and held out her hand.

He slipped the ring onto her finger, and it glistened magnificently in the sunlight. Perfect fit.

Then, she flung herself at him with full force, nearly knocking him over. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she was alternating between saying "Yes," kissing him, and continuing to cry.

He spared a moment to look toward the house, and was not shocked to see four sets of eyes watching them from the kitchen window.


	17. Chapter 17

_Hey guys! I am sooooo sorry that it has been so long. I have been super busy at work- tax season and all. There are a handful of chapters left, and they should be out on a much more expeditious level. _

_I do not own TBBT or its characters. I promise._

* * *

Sheldon and Penny were settled into their seats for their flight back to LAX. She had told anyone and everyone she had met along the way that she was engaged and then held out her ring for all to see.

Sheldon would roll his eyes and act exhausted by her display, but there was a glimmer in his eyes. _He_ was betrothed to _her_. And, she was thrilled, even proud to announce it to the world.

He had immediately wanted to post it on Facebook, that he, Dr. Sheldon Cooper was engaged. They had snapped some photos of Penny showing off her ring and the two of them together. They even had a picture of the pair stealing a smooch, something only his Meemaw could have coerced out of him. He wanted to upload those; even the kissing one.

She had asked him not to. She wanted to be able to share the news and joy with their friends in person. He respected that.

"Oh!" she let out.

"Yes?"

"I never called my parents! How did I forget to call them?"

"Well, there was a lot of excitement yesterday," he said. "And, with getting packed up to leave and all the goodbyes, I am sure it just slipped your mind."

"Well, we don't have much time now." The airplane door had been closed. "I will call them first thing when we get back."

"I think that's a fine idea."

"I can't wait to hear their reaction. They will be so surprised!"

"Welllllll…"

"Well, what?" she narrowed her eyes at him.

"They kind of already know."

"They do?"

"Over Thanksgiving, I asked your father for your hand." As romantic as Sheldon could be, it still didn't stop him from blushing when he talked about such gestures. "And, before I proposed, I called your father to let him know that I would be asking you to marry me that day."

"You asked my dad?" Penny was staring out into space, putting things together inside her head.

"Of course."

The blonde threw her arms around him and pressed her lips firmly to his, for a chaste yet solid kiss. Her feelings weren't hurt when he looked around to see if anyone saw them and then wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"Penny, please," he sighed.

At that moment, one of the flight attendants was doing a walk-through. The gal whose name was Jill made a point to speak to at least every other row of people. When she got to them, she asked, "Hi, how are you today?" with a perky expression on her face.

Without hesitation, Penny thrust her left hand out. "I just got engaged!"

Jill noticed with amusement the man sitting by the girl, with his hand covering his eyes, shaking his head.

"Congratulations!" the attendant gushed. "And, this would be your fiancé?"

Fiancé. That was a new word for both of them.

"Yes, this is my _fiancé_, Dr. Sheldon Cooper," she beamed proudly.

"Well congratulations again," Jill said before moving on.

"Thanks!"

Jill vaguely heard, "Penny, did you know that the term "fiancé" is a relatively young one, only dating back to the mid-1800's…"

* * *

Just before taking off, flight attendant Jill came up to them again. "Dr. Cooper and..." she looked at the woman questioningly.

"Penny," she offered brightly.

"Yes, Dr. Cooper and Penny, I have something I wish to speak with you about."

Two sets of worried eyes looked up.

"No nothing bad!" the older woman replied kindly. "We had two people from first class cancel, and those seats have gone unclaimed. We'd like to offer them to you, complements of myself and the rest of the staff; consider it an engagement present."

"First class?! Wow, yes! Thank you!"

Penny unbuckled her seat belt and sprung to her feet in mere seconds. Sheldon followed suit, though not quite as quickly. She grabbed her oversized purse and he his computer bag, and they followed Jill up front.

Before making it all the way to the front, the flight attendant stopped and turned them both around. Jill's voice boomed over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. We will be beginning our safety drill and taking off shortly. We want to give you all a warm welcome to our airlines and wish you a pleasant flight. We have two special guests up front. These two just got engaged!"

The passengers applauded, and Penny held her hand up high, so that everyone could see her stunning ring. Sheldon didn't know what to do, so he just stood there, letting his fiancée enjoy the glory.

They were then guided to two comfortable first class seats. Penny was extremely thankful. "Thanks so much again! We really, really appreciate this."

"No problem, sweetheart. Just remember when you book that honeymoon of yours, what airline to choose." She left them with a wink.

Sheldon perked up. Honeymoon? His brain started to work a mile a minute. He hadn't even thought about a honeymoon. He knew what the concept of the honeymoon was, of course. It was a time for newly married couples to have alone time together.

Often, couples went on vacation, planned fun activities, like parasailing or rock climbing. However, he did not anticipate that he and Penny would be planning activities for their honeymoon. They had something to catch up on that most couples had already taken care of by that time. He figured they would be spending a _lot_ of time in their room, in bed. And, if that was what they would be doing, they could do that anywhere, right? He stored that question in the back of his mind to ask Penny about at a later time.

* * *

They landed, and headed straight to baggage to get their items. Penny turned on her phone and saw she had eight missed calls- five from Amy, three from Leonard.

"Sheldon, did anyone call you?" When she turned to him, he was already scrolling through his phone. She started to enter in the passcode to her voice mail.

"Five times." His eyes flickered from screen to screen. "And three text messages."

The first was from Howard Wolowitz. He scanned the body of the text, but focused on the last sentence: _Get here now!_

"Penny, I believe you need to get us to the hospital right away. It seems that Bernadette went into labor this morning."

* * *

Penny was shaking as they drove. Sheldon had just gotten off the phone with Leonard.

"St. Vincent's? You're sure he said St. Vincent's?"

"Penny, for the last time, yes! What in the world is wrong with you?"

"That's a Catholic hospital. They are having their baby in a Catholic hospital?"

"Do you not remember that Bernadette _is_ Catholic? Plus, St. Vincent's is one of the top hospitals for childbirth in the area. I think they made a good choice."

"Of course I know that she's Catholic," she spat impatiently. "But, he _isn't_. I just cannot imagine Mrs. Wolowitz going to a _Catholic_ hospital to see the birth of her grandchild. I mean, are they _trying_ to kill the old broad?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," he replied seriously.

She weaved through traffic, while Sheldon's knuckles were turning white from gripping the car so tightly.

"I hope we make it!" she said frantically.

Sheldon reached over and rubbed her thigh so to comfort her. "Penny, settle down. We won't get there if we are in an accident. Though, I suppose if it is a bad enough accident, we may end up there all the same."

"Not now!"

"Leonard said the doctor expects another hour or so of labor. We will make it in plenty of time. Just calm down."

"I'm trying."

"Look," he pointed. "We can see the hospital from here. Just a couple more miles on the freeway."

Penny's tone changed. "Sheldon, what if the baby isn't okay?"

"What?"

"Bernadette had such a hard time with the pregnancy. If the baby isn't healthy, it would just be so awful."

"You mustn't think like that. She was able to carry the baby very nearly to term. That's a good sign."

"If you were in a position where you had to choose between my life and the baby's, what would you choose?"

Sheldon exhaled. He certainly did not expect the conversation to take this turn. How could he answer a question like that with no preparation, no research, no examination?

"Penny, this is all wildly hypothetical."

"Yes, it is, thank goodness. I just want your instinct?"

"I…of course, Penny, I would choose _you_," he said.

"What?!" she was stunned.

"Why on earth would I choose a child that I may or may not like, who may or may not have any measurable intelligence, at the risk of losing the one person I love more than my own life?"

When he put it like that, it made it hard for Penny to lecture him. "No, Sheldon. I would choose the baby. You need to choose the baby. That's what I would want."

She pulled her car into the hospital parking lot. "I don't know that I can make that decision," he said.

"Yes, you can. I know it."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Because, there is greatness in you. And, an enormous capacity for love. You'll see. Once I have your child inside my belly, you will love it before ever laying eyes on it. I know you have that capability for unconditional love inside you."

"Well, this is all purely speculative at this point. Right now, I believe we are better served concentrating on Howard and Bernadette's situation."

"Agreed," Penny nodded, putting her car in park. "I know this may be asking too much, but if there was ever a time for it, I think it would be now. I think they could use some prayers."

Sheldon didn't want to make Penny upset by telling her that they should put their faith in the doctors more than a God that may or may not exist. And, even if he could concede that God existed, he was pretty sure that the doctors would have more of an effect on the situation than God. Still, he pulled out his phone and started to scroll through his contacts.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You suggested prayers. I thought you wanted me to call my mother to have her pray?"

She smiled. "Well, maybe you can call her later. But, I was actually suggesting that maybe _we_ should pray."

"I see."

"You don't have to pray to Jesus or God or anything. You could just hope or allow yourself to feel optimism or put positive thoughts out into the universe."

"I could do that."

Penny reached out and held her hand palm up and Sheldon took it. Then, in sync, they quietly bowed their heads.

* * *

They were instructed to take the elevator to the fifth floor. Once the elevator doors opened, they saw Amy standing there, waiting for them.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" she let out.

Penny stepped forward and hugged her friend. "Right back at you."

"No really," the brunette stated dryly. "I've been in here staring at magazines, a tiny TV, and a room full of monitors for hours. My eyes really do sting." She widened her eyes to stretch them.

"Have we missed anything?" Penny asked anxiously.

"Other than Mrs. Wolowitz's breakdown, no."

"What?"

"Bernadette does not want anyone in the room during the actual birth, except for Howard, and the medical staff, of course."

"Oh boy," Sheldon said in a comprehending voice.

"Howard's mother stood her ground, and considering her girth, she did so quite literally. It took two orderlies, Bernadette's dad, Leonard, and Raj to drag her out of the room."

"Oh geez."

"She was still crying and shouting and causing all sorts of trouble. The orderlies even said they would call security if she didn't calm down."

"So where is she now?"

"Well," Amy's eyes were sparkling mischievously. "She is behaving. You see, before Bernadette went on bed rest, she and I were collaborating on a prototype of a sedative-like medication that would be absorbed through the skin."

Sheldon perked up in interest.

"It is not nearly as potent as any medications taken orally and certainly far less so than an injection. We were developing it as a less powerful alternative for things like nervous flyers or people that don't like to go to the dentist; something to take the edge off but not impair any judgment or cognitive functions."

"You two believe that you can affect someone's brain by something ingested through the skin?" The physicist was skeptical.

"We don't _believe_ we can do it. We did it. Luckily, I had a tube with me of the prototype. It was created in lotion form, and must be applied along the upper spine up to the base of the neck. I told Mrs. Wolowitz she had dry skin, and she allowed me to put the cream on her."

"And?"

"And it worked. I guess. We haven't examined side effects yet, but desperate times, right?"

"Wow, Amy," Penny exclaimed. "That's great! You and Bernadette could have a major breakthrough on your hands."

"Well, we still have to go through all the proper channels to take care of all the red tape. Due to Howard's mother's size, I had to use an entire tube. Those puppies cost $750 per tube…that is until we can get a major pharmaceutical company to jump on the bandwagon and get it produced much more cost effectively."

"It was probably money well spent to keep Howard's mom from causing problems."

Amy led them down a series of corridors until they reached a waiting room. They saw Mrs. Wolowitz lounging peacefully on a couch, Leonard and Raj playing cards, and Mr. Rostenkowski avoiding all of them.

"Look who I found!" Amy announced to the roomful of people.

"Hey! How was Texas?" Leonard looked up.

"Terrific! I think Mary was trying to fatten me up though. I've probably gained ten pounds from all the food!"

Sheldon, who was standing behind her, stepped closer and talked low into her ear. "I don't mind weight gain. It works for you." He then pinched her "love handle" on her right hip.

Raj could not hear what was said, but he could only imagine, considering the look in Sheldon's eyes and the way his girlfriend was grinning and biting her bottom lip. "Okay, you two, no one wants to see that." Her cheeks turned crimson.

"How are you-?"

Raj pulled a flask out of his jacket and held it up to her.

Mrs. Rostenkowski came through a set of double doors and sat next to her husband, but spoke to the rest of the group. "They kicked me out. It's really close." Penny noted that Bernadette's big burly father reached over with such tenderness and placed his hand over his wife's.

She and Sheldon settled down into two of the waiting room chairs. It had been a long weekend, and they had spent the entire day travelling. She laid her blonde head on his shoulder and drifted in and out of slumber.

* * *

A bit later…it could have been two minutes or two hours for all Penny knew…she blinked her eyes open to see a nurse scanning the waiting room, while reading a chart. "Mr. and Mrs. Rostenkowski? Mrs. Wolowitz?"

The couple and the rotund woman stood and made their way to the younger woman, wearing green scrubs.

"We'll need to get you guys into some gowns," she glanced appraisingly at Howard's mother. "Come with me," she smiled.

The three of them disappeared with the nurse behind a set of double doors.

Penny looked at Sheldon anxiously. "Do you think that means the baby is here?"

"I would say it is likely, yes."

"How did the nurse seem to you?"

"On the shorter side? Under 30? Appeared to be an unnatural red-head? I'm not sure what you are going for here."

"No, silly. I mean she seemed pleasant. Happy, right?"

"I suppose so. Pleasant enough, I guess."

"I guess I was asking because if something was wrong with the baby, the nurse would have been more," Penny imitated a pout. "Right?"

Amy, who had disappeared while Penny was sleeping, returned, walking next to one of the orderlies. She was smiling from ear to ear, and her eyes were transfixed on what the man had to say.

He was tall with dark curly hair. He was stocky, if not a little on the hefty side, but due to his height, he wore it well.

"Any news?" Amy asked as she made her way into the waiting area, once her new friend had finished his story.

"The parents were called back a little bit ago," Leonard said.

"So exciting," she bounced, grinning. "I can't wait to meet my godchild!" The other four friends looked at each other, unsure if Amy had been asked to be a godmother or whether she was just assuming.

"Yes, hopefully we'll get to go back soon," Penny said, just to break the silence.

"Oh, everybody, this is Phil; he works here at the hospital." She spoke to Raj and Leonard, "You guys may remember him from the Herculean effort to remove Howard's portly mother from the birthing room earlier."

"Yeah thanks, dude," Raj acknowledged. "And 'Herculean' is an understatement. I'm pretty sure Hercules would have had an easier time moving Mount Olympus."

Penny snickered, while Sheldon shook his head.

"Phil, these are my friends. Over here is Leonard, my sometimes overemotional friend with mommy issues." The short physicist gave her a glare before raising his hand to wave.

"Next to him is Rajesh, whom you can call Raj. Don't let the vest fool you. I'm sure that underneath the vest is an Indian sex god. You should see his sister; she is all kinds of hot." Raj avoided eye contact as he simply nodded, visibly embarrassed.

The brunette woman motioned. "And this is Sheldon and Penny. Sheldon is my ex-boyfriend, who left me because he wanted to sex up my best friend." Her voice was not inflected with any sort of emotion. She was speaking as factually as she always did.

No, the emotion came from the tall brainy scientist who had always been extremely skilled at controlling his feelings, except for very recently, and especially where Penny was concerned. He stood at once and glowered at Amy.

"Amy Farrah Fowler, that was uncalled for. You take that back."

"I don't believe I said anything that was untrue."

He avoided looking at his new fiancée. "We broke up long before Penny and I connected, and our separation was a result of a number of things. If I recall correctly, in the end, we mutually agreed that we were not right for each other."

Leonard was pretending like he was not paying attention to the confrontation, although every so often, he would glance out of the corner of his eye. Raj however was watching in complete fascination.

"Again, I don't believe I indicated to Phil any sort of betrayal or dissatisfaction amongst us."

"You know how deep my feelings for Penny were, and yet, you are making it into something it was not. It was never about a physical desire to be with her. It was about _her_. It was always _her_."

"Yes, and as her bestie, I know how her relationships manifest themselves. And so did you, so rationally, your desire to be her partner included a desire to be her lover."

Sheldon was angry. Amy was not Penny's best friend, and he knew she did not see her as such. Penny was _his_ best friend, and he hers.

"If she were truly your_ bestie_, you would not be speaking of her in such a manner, in front of a stranger, no less."

"Sheldon, I am being neither dishonest nor malicious in my observations. As a man of science, you of all people should realize that."

"And no matter the reason we did not work out, I am not the kind of person that chooses their partners based on sexual attraction. _You_ of all people should realize _that_."

It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room. It was common knowledge that while Amy was supportive of Sheldon and Penny's bond, there was still lingering resentment that he would not give into intimate relations with her during their relationship.

Leonard looked over at his former flame and saw the tears bubbling in her eyes, realizing that she hadn't said a word. He got up and marched over to Amy and Sheldon. "Okay guys, I think that's enough." His eyes looked pointedly at his roommate, nodding toward Penny with his eyes. He guided Amy to come sit with him and Raj.

Surprisingly, Sheldon took the hint and turned around. In one swoop, he was by her side, cradling her face in his hands. With his long fingers, he was brushing away the tears that were seeping out of her green eyes. He was focused entirely on her, as she looked back at him.

"Penny, listen to me, this was not about you. It was between Amy and myself, and it should have been handled in private. It wasn't about you."

She didn't say a word, for fear that the sob she was holding back would escape if she opened her mouth.

"And, for what it's worth, she was out of order. None of what she said is true. None of it. It wasn't like that. Do you want to go home?"

With steely resolve, she shook her head, reached up and grabbed his hands and pulled them down from her face, and swallowed a large lump that had settled in her throat.

Of all the mysteries Sheldon had unraveled, he wasn't sure he would ever know how it was humanly possible to love this woman as much as he did.

* * *

The other three friends watched the exchange from across the room.

"Look at that," Amy whispered. "Why her?"

Anyone else would have missed it. But, both men knew her well enough that they immediately picked up on the slight crack in her typically monotonous voice.

Leonard began, "It's pretty simple. He's in love with her."

"Of course," she replied bitterly. "I suppose if I had locks of honey flowing through my hair and a body like that…"

"Stop," her wavy-haired friend interrupted her. "Don't do that. It's not fair to Sheldon, Penny, or you. How she looks is probably the last thing he cares about."

"Yeah, dude," Raj jumped in. "The guy is a crazy nutbag. But, there is no doubt that he always looks past the superficial and sees people for who they are, which is usually inferior to him. Plus, your statement suggests that all Penny has to offer is her looks. She is so much more than that. She's the kind of woman that accepts a shy Indian boy as her friend without ever speaking a word to him, offering a smile and a hug."

"She's the kind of woman that made a guy who had felt like a geeky loser his entire life feel like he could be normal even if he really wasn't, that there were people out there that would like him in spite of and even because of all his geekiness, and if they didn't, they weren't worth being friends with anyway," Leonard added.

"The point is that Penny is more than how she looks. And, so are you. You are intelligent and funny and you _are_ beautiful." Amy caught Raj's eye as he smiled at her.

"And, if you don't believe us, maybe you will believe him," Leonard pointed to Phil. He then leaned in and talked lowly into her ear. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you this whole time."

Amy turned around and looked over at Phil who seemed bemused, but to his credit was still there. He gave her a crooked smile and waved.

She turned back to her two friends and gave them a smile that could have lit up the darkest ends of the earth. (they should know…they had been there)

She popped up and made her way over to the orderly. "I'd love a tour of the hospital," they heard her say as they watched the pair disappear down the hallway.

* * *

Minutes later, Mrs. Wolowitz came out, her eyes red.

All four friends jumped up and rushed over to her.

"Is…is…" Penny couldn't bring herself to articulate exactly what she wanted to know, what they all wanted to know.

"The baby is fine," the older woman assured. "And beautiful."

"Thank God," the blonde breathed out.

"Would you all like to see them? I am going to go find the cafeteria and get a cup of tea."

They all nodded enthusiastically.

"Well, the nurses said to only let you back two at a time."

"That makes sense," Leonard said.

Penny looked up. Howard was Raj's best friend in the world. "You two should go ahead. We'll wait."

"Um actually, Penny dear," Mrs. Wolowitz spoke in her heavy drawl. "My daughter-in-law said that you and loverboy could come back first." She looked guiltily toward the other two. "She mentioned that you haven't been home in a few days, maybe you needed some rest?"

Sheldon remembered the conversation he and Howard had shared weeks ago and wondered if she was being truthful.

"Okay," Penny replied uncertainly. She turned to the other pair. "We'll be out to get you in a little bit, okay?" They both nodded.

Sheldon and Penny went through the doors and approached what appeared to be a nurses' station just inside. "We are looking for Rostenkowski-Wolowitz?"

The nurse looked at her computer screen. "Yes, they are in room 524. You will take this hallway until it becomes a T, then turn left. 524 will be on the right."

"Thank you," Penny said.

"Before you go, we ask that you wear some protective clothing. If you can slip your shoes off, I will keep them here at the desk." She gave them plastic booties to wear.

"Prudent," Sheldon admired. "Your dedication to warding off bacteria is truly admirable."

The nurse looked at him like he had an exoskeleton. She had no idea what he was going on about. She then handed them plastic caps to wear on their heads and two hospital gowns.

"You can just wear those over your street clothing."

The two of them proceeded to put on all the required attire and made their way to the room. They heard Howard's voice before they saw anyone. They approached the room quietly, peeking inside.

"Hey guys," the blonde said softly.

Both Bernadette, Howard, and her parents looked up. Howard motioned them to come in the room, so they stepped inside.

"So?"

"It's a boy," the engineer said proudly. "A boy."

"A boy!" Sheldon repeated, offering his approval. "Congratulations."

Penny was too choked up to offer her sentiments.

Bernadette's mom and dad stood. "We are going to get some air," her father spoke. "We'll be back soon." He walked over to the door and waited for his wife to gather up her things.

Howard pulled back the baby's swaddle to reveal the his face. "Sheldon, Penny, this is Tobias John Wo…" A loud sound, that of a throat being cleared, came booming from the doorway.

The proud father rolled his eyes. "Tobias John _Paul_ Wolowitz. Toby."

Penny stepped closer to the bed. "Toby," she breathed out, in awe of the beautiful child in front of her very eyes. "Hello Toby. Hello."

Finally, Bernadette spoke. "We were wondering if you would be Toby's godparents."

Penny straightened and clutched her hand to her heart. "Of course! It would be my honor."

"I, too, consider it a great compliment. However, don't you think your best friend, meaning Raj, would be a better candidate for the position?" Sheldon admitted. His fiancée smiled up at him and his selfless words.

"Well, that's the thing," Bernadette started. "In order to be baptized in the Catholic Church…"

Howard interrupted for clarification. "We worked out an agreement. We can have Toby baptized in a Catholic church, as long as he can have a Bar Mitzvah when he turns 13. He is a child of two worlds."

"Right," his wife continued. "The godparents are expected to be Catholic."

"But, we aren't Catholic," Penny stated the obvious.

"I know. But, my parents talked to our parish priest, Father Burke. They explained that neither Howard nor I have any siblings or close relatives, and that none of our close friends are Catholic. As it turns out, they can make an exception to their rule in such a case, however, the catch is the godparent must be _at least_ a baptized Christian."

The betrothed pair nodded to show they were following along.

"Well, I wanted Penny right away, of course, and I remember you saying that you were baptized as a young child."

"Yes, I was."

"And, we just assumed that your mother had had you baptized at some point," Howard nodded to Sheldon.

"She did," he admitted. "So, I am your choice by default?"

"Of course not!" the new mother let out. "My parents thought it was ideal that the godparents be together as a couple, and I agree. _We_ agree. It's not that we were looking at two different people for the job of godmother and godfather. We were looking for a couple for the job of godparents."

"I don't know," the physicist was hesitant.

"Couldn't Raj just pretend to be Catholic?" Penny asked innocently.

"Like he has pretended to be a practicing Hindu most of his adult life?" Sheldon piled on. This earned a glare from Penny.

"What? Sacred cow my sweet patootie!"

"We don't want Raj to pretend to be something he's not. We don't want to start Toby's life out on a lie," Bernadette said.

"Yeah, plus in our will, we are going to make Raj the first person after our parents that would get custody of Toby in the event of our untimely demise," Howard added. "We think that will be a good consolation prize."

"Well?" Penny looked up at Sheldon. He shrugged his shoulders in a way that indicated he was fine with it. "We accept!" she shouted. With that, Toby woke and started to cry.

She covered her mouth. "Oops, sorry!"

A nurse came into the room, and Bernadette handed the baby to her. "Don't worry about it. It was just about time for them to come get him anyway. Oh my God, Sheldon!" she let out a breath.

The petite blonde's eyes were focused squarely on where Penny's hands were covering her mouth. Howard followed his wife's gaze. "Very nice," he approved.

Penny then realized what they were going on about and she turned slightly pink. "Oh, yeah," she giggled.

"Oh yeah?! Let me see, let me see," Bernadette gushed.

Sheldon had been holding on to something in his back pocket all day. "Yeah, I put a ring on it," he said nonchalantly.

The girls burst into laughter. Penny held out her hand and let the other woman admire her newly adorned ring finger. "Wow, Sheldon, this is beautiful. You made a great choice!"

"What did the others say?" Howard asked.

"Actually, nothing. I don't think they even noticed it," Penny said.

"Well congratulations!" Bernadette smiled. "Have you set a date yet?"

"We haven't really had a chance to talk about it too much."

"Well, you get on it. If you need any help planning, I still have some books and magazines and I'd be happy to help."

Penny gave Bernadette a careful hug. "Definitely! Soon. But for now, you take care of that baby."

A lump caught in her throat when she saw Sheldon step forward and extend his hand to Howard for a handshake. It was such a simple gesture, but so unlike him. "Congratulations, Howard. Your child will no doubt be a tremendous specimen." He turned toward the bed. "And, very impressive work, Bernadette." It was so clinical, so cold, and yet, it was full of such sincere praise, that they were all taken aback.

Penny stepped forward and linked her arm through Sheldon's. "I better get my fiancé home. It's been a long weekend." She laughed. "Isn't that crazy? I have a fiancé." Sheldon shook his hand and rolled his eyes, but not before a small smile could escape his lips.

They waved goodbye as they left the room.

* * *

While riding down in the elevator, Sheldon spoke. "I find myself concerned for Toby."

"Aw, why is that, honey?"

"Howard described him as a child of two worlds. Spock was also a child of two worlds. He was both Vulcan and human. And yet, he felt neither Vulcan nor human. Having two worlds made him feel like he had no worlds."

"That's true."

"What if by being both Catholic _and_ Jewish, he feels neither Catholic nor Jewish? What if he feels torn? What if he feels by choosing one faith, he is essentially judging the other parent? What if they send him to Catholic school and the kids pick on him for having a Jewish father? It seems like a lot for a young boy to bear."

"You can't look at it like that. Think of him being twice as lucky. He has two different heritages, two different histories. He'll get to celebrate Hannukah _and_ Christmas, which means twice the presents. If anything, he is doubly blessed."

"I suppose," he conceded.

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the lobby. "So, have you ever had any ideas on what to name your kids?"

"I have." He reached down and grasped her hand.

"Well? Tell me!"

"My first choice for a boy would be Shelson."

"Shelson?" Penny asked with a little annoyance in her voice.

"Yes. I could name him after myself, Sheldon Junior. However, why would I want to do something so pedestrian? You can visit any trailer park in Southeast Texas and find fifty kids named 'Junior.' This is more clever, modeling after the way surnames were developed. For example, Johnson, meaning 'son of John;" Robertson meaning 'son of Robert.' Shelson will mean son of Sheldon."

"But then wouldn't it be Shel_don_son? Shelson means 'son of Shel.'"

"Well, we'll work that out later," he rebuffed. "Second choice for a boy would be Aristotle. And for a girl, Gertrude. We'll call her Trudy."

"I see," Penny replied, not even attempting to feign enthusiasm.

"Penny, you mock my inability to appreciate sarcasm, and yet you yourself have not gotten used to my keen sense of humor."

"Huh?"

"Bazinga, Bazinga, and Bazinga," he grinned.


	18. Chapter 18

_I do not own the farce that is the Big Bang Theory._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Penny was sitting in her apartment with Bernadette, going through bridal magazines and looking at dresses. Toby was sleeping soundly in his carrier.

Everything Penny had seen in the magazines was beautiful. Some dresses were sparkly. Others were modern. Some were a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, nothing stood out as the one for her.

The tune to Elton John's "Rocket Man" rang out. Bernadette pulled her phone out and grinned. "My husband," she said.

Penny thought it was odd that Howard would call, considering usually, one of the guys just walked the twenty feet across the hall if they wanted to talk to her.

Bernadette put the phone on speaker and held it up so they both could hear. "Hey hubby!" she said brightly. However, she got no response at all.

"Howie?"

"Howie!"

Both girls could hear chattering on the other end of the line amongst the four friends. "Must have butt dialed," she said. Nevertheless, she continued to listen to the conversation.

"What are you doing?" Penny whispered.

"Oh just listening for a little bit."

Penny knew it was wrong. She should have grabbed the phone and hung up. But, she just couldn't help it.

So, like a couple of teenagers, the two blondes huddled around the phone listening to the guys' conversation, hinged on every word.

* * *

"So gentlemen," Sheldon said, "we have approximately 25 minutes until the new episode of _The Walking Dead_. Topic of conversation?"

"Better soup: loaded baked potato or classic tomato?" Raj suggested.

Sheldon scoffed: "How is that a conversation? Loaded baked potato is clearly superior, and that's a fact. Not much of a conversation there. It took ten seconds, and that includes my derisive eye roll."

None of the other guys wanted to even pick that fight, so they let it go.

"Barry Kripke?" Howard spoke up. "Rumor's going around that Kripke got caught doing some hanky panky on university property and time."

"And that is noteworthy how?"

"Well, the chick he was with may or may not be of age, and here is the best part. You know how Kripke uses a tape recorder to record his lectures and labs?"

The group nodded.

"Well, I guess, he forgot to turn it off, and didn't realize it. Dr. Gablehauser asked for the audio of his lectures, which he was going to post to the university website. So, anyway, while analyzing the lectures to prep them for editing, Dr. Gablehauser got quite the surprise."

"No!" Leonard asked conspiratorially.

"My sources confirm it."

"Oh my God, can you imagine?" Raj jumped in. "Listening to a lecture on particle physics, and then all of the sudden hearing Barry Kripke doing the nasty?" He cringed.

Howard had the perfect impression of Kripke up his sleeve: "I bet Bawy was weely weely embawassed."

The men guffawed with laughter.

"I know something we haven't discussed yet," Leonard said. "I'd like to propose a toast to my roommate. Congratulations on making the leap, old friend. To Sheldon." He held his soda can up.

"To Sheldon," the other two chimed in.

After a moment, the rocket man himself started to giggle inexplicably. After looking at him for several moments, Leonard asked, "Something funny over there, Howard?"

"Sorry, I just think it's funny, that's all."

"What is?"

"Well, who'da thunk it? Sheldon the second one to get married? It's just proof that in this crazy world, anything is possible. I'm not sure what is more unbelievable, that he's getting married or that this insect of a guy is nailing Penny." There was no malice behind his words, but that didn't stop them from stinging a bit.

Sheldon's head jerked up at his friend's, or at this moment, acquaintance's final comment. "I'm sorry. I think I may be unfamiliar with your vernacular. I mean, I know what _you_ mean when you use the word 'nailing,' but that can't be what you meant in regards to Penny and myself?"

"Come on, man," Howard responded. "Be proud of it. Your sex life should be worn as a badge of honor, I say. You were lucky enough to land a hot gal like Penny. Might as well brag about it a little bit."

"My feelings toward Penny have very little to do with how 'hot' she is. Yes, she is very aesthetically pleasing," a pink color appeared on his cheeks. "But, my love for her far transcends exterior appearance."

Leonard spoke next. "Talk to us, buddy. We are your closest friends. If you can't talk about it with us, who can you talk with?"

"Mary Cooper raised a gentleman, and as such, I most certainly do not kiss and tell, as it were." He folded his arms over his chest, finalizing the conversation.

"Leonard, you are here most of the time," the engineer inquired. "How often do these crazy kids do it?"

"Well," all eyes were on the chair and the man in it. He was dumbfounded. "I mean, she stays over here sometimes, but…I've never heard anything."

"Dude," Raj said, "I would expect them to be extra loud to spite you for all the times he had to overhear you and Penny going at it."

"The crazy loon probably talked her into some weird art of silent coitus or something. Being quiet probably gets his motor running; since he is the opposite of how any normal human being would act."

It was clear. Sheldon was in The Twilight Zone. Was the room spinning? He could hear the voices, but they were faint. It felt like an out-of-body experience.

"Nah," his roommate reasoned. "He stays over at Penny's sometimes too. They probably do all that stuff over there. I'd really prefer not to imagine it though."

"Is this really necessary?" Sheldon managed to choke out.

Raj had been watching him. He saw his eyes glaze over. He saw his face visibly pale. He saw his Adam's apple bob up and down each time he swallowed slowly.

"Guys, that's enough," he stood up for his friend.

"Please, Raj, every time he has mocked you and your work or belittled you or insulted your culture, and now, he can't take a little ribbing, and you feel sorry for the guy?"

"It's just not appropriate to be discussing. She is our friend, too. How would you feel if some other guy was out there bragging about hot sex with Penny?"

"I'd want to rip his head off," Howard realized.

"What Sheldon and Penny have done or_ haven't_ done," Raj gave an indicative look as he hinted, "is completely up to them."

"I agree," Leonard settled.

"Right, what they have or haven't done…..wait a minute. They've done squat! That's what you're saying, right?"

"I don't really know; it's not my place to say…"

"Leonard, you say you've never heard them?"

"Nope."

"Any condoms missing ever?"

"Um, no?"

"Ever have trouble with hot water running out?"

"Not really?"

"Ha!" Howard concluded. "Your roommate is taking cold showers, that's why. Cold showers, because he is not getting any. Tell me, buddy, how blue do those balls get?" he jested.

Sheldon stood up abruptly, and they expected him to erupt in anger. He didn't. He grabbed his jacket and put it on hastily. "I am going for a walk. I need some fresh air."

As he walked toward the door, Leonard asked weakly, "But what about _Walking Dead_?"

Sheldon didn't respond except to slam the door as he left the apartment.

* * *

The girls heard the door slam, and they both sat there, in shock from what they had just overheard. (Okay, eavesdropped on.)

"Do you want to go after him?" Bernadette asked quietly.

Penny simply shook her head. Her lips were trembling, but her eyes were void of tears.

"Poor Sheldon," she finally said.

"Poor_ you_!" her friend added.

"I'm used to it," she shrugged. "He's not."

"Is it true?" Bernadette asked nervously. After all, Sheldon had come to her months ago, stating he was ready to consummate their relationship. Surely, by now…?

Penny nodded, "Yeah."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"Can I ask why not? If you don't want to tell me, that's okay. But, that boy's crazy about you, and I know you love him. Where's the hangup?"

"I don't want to go into too much detail, Bern, but we just prefer to take things slow."

"Slow? A snail, sitting on a turtle being carried by my 90-year-old grandma across the street is slow. This is…glacial."

"Yes, it is unconventional, especially for me," Penny went on. "But, Sheldon is completely fine with it. I mean, he's waited 33 years. What's another few months?"

"Awww….so you are protecting your fiance's virtue?"

"And mine!"

"Of course. So, you're not going to sleep together until you get married? Holy cow!"

Penny looked down at her lap. "I didn't say that," she mumbled. "I didn't _not_ say that."

"Gosh, even Amy is getting her some action, and they just met a couple of weeks ago."

"Phil?"

"Yeah, you know Phil?"

"We met at the hospital."

"He's a nice guy. They are great together."

"Good for her," Penny smiled.

At that moment, Toby started to gurgle, as he began to awaken. "I better get going," the new mom stood and gathered her baby bag and her son's carrier. "I am going to go over there and wring Howard's neck. I'm so sorry, Penny. He went too far."

"I'll go with you."

* * *

They left her apartment, crossed the hall, knocked, and waited for someone to answer.

"Come in," came Leonard's voice.

Penny didn't waste one second as she walked in the door. "You guys listen up, and you listen up good. Have Sheldon and I made love yet? No. But, trust me, we've done plenty of other things. He's an amazing kisser, he's got nimble fingers," she arched an eyebrow, as Raj blushed. "And I have no doubt in my mind that he will be _exceptional_ at anything else we will do in the future."

"Penny…" Howard stood and interrupted.

"Sit down," his wife growled.

"Yes ma'am."

She continued to speak quickly. "What Sheldon and I have is more than physical. It's more than sex, and if you cannot understand that, then shame on you. And, that man, without touching me at all, makes me feel more desirable than I've ever felt . He knows that we have our whole lives ahead of us to explore a physical relationship. The fact that he is willing to wait because we have years to make up for it is so sexy to me. And in a few months, I hope that every so often you think to yourselves about the mind-blowing sex he and I are having, multiple times a day. You got that picture in your heads? Good. Suck on that."

And, she strode out of the apartment without a word.

* * *

Penny sat in her apartment stewing, but grinning at how she had put those boys in their place. Okay, multiple times a day may have been a slight exaggeration, but she was just rolling with it, and it came out, and it helped to make her point, so no harm done.

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

She made her way to the door and opened it. "Hey, Dr. Cooper!" she grabbed his arm gently and pulled him inside. "Have a seat."

Sheldon said nothing. He seemed to be in a trance. He removed his jacket and slid it onto the floor. This complete disregard for tidiness stunned her, and she searched his eyes for some sort of explanation. All she found was a glassy stare.

He then pulled his Batman t-shirt over his head and also dropped it on the floor. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Sheldon, what are you doing, Sweetie?"

He finally seemed to come out of his dream-like state and looked directly at Penny. "I think we should have sex. We're going to have sex."

Internally, she rolled her eyes. She couldn't tell him how she knew what was going on or else he'd know about how they eavesdropped. "How romantic," the words came out dripping in sarcasm.

"I'm serious, Penny. I'm a man. You're a woman. I believe we've both been more than patient enough."

"Well, the answer is no, so unless you are prepared to commit a felony, it's not going to happen."

"No? No?!" he was up in arms. "Does my virginity turn you on, Penny? I guess you just love the idea that I am unspoiled, waiting for you, don't you? You just love having me as a puppet on your string."

"Actually, yes it does!" she replied. "Not the puppet part. But, yes, I love that you were principled enough to save your virginity for someone you loved instead of losing it to just anybody. I'm proud that you chose me."

"Yeah, that's me. Good ol' principled Shelly Cooper. More like foolish."

"I'm no prude. I don't think sex outside of marriage is some terrible sinful thing. When it happens, it happens. It will happen."

"Will it?" he asked warily.

Penny was reminded of something Leonard told her long ago, on a completely different subject: …_after you've passed the first three barriers you kind of_**_want_**_to take it all the way._

"Sheldon, we've waited this long. You've waited this long. This is not way it should happen. I mean, what are another few months in the grand scheme of things?"

He stepped forward and dipped his head, resting his forehead against hers. "Every single _minute_ that I am not with you is too long. And you want me to wait months? Do you know how many hours I could spend watching you sleep in my arms in a month? How many hours I could spend counting the freckles on your bare shoulders? How many contented sighs that could be gracing your lips? How many beads of sweat that could drip from my body onto yours?"

Penny gulped. She had a feeling that he had been thinking a lot while on that fresh-air walk of his. "Sheldon," she whispered.

Before she could finish her thought, he dipped his head and kissed her neck seductively. She placed her hands against his chest and clenched onto the fabric of his shirt.

After a few moments, with all the strength she could muster, Penny pushed him away. There were tears in her eyes. "I think you should go." Without another word, she walked to her bedroom and laid on her bed, facing away from the living room.

She didn't open her eyes until she heard her front door shut.

* * *

They didn't speak much the next few days; only briefly when Penny came over to the guys' apartment for Halo night.

He spent a lot of time on the computer, most notably searching "My girlfriend is upset. What did I do?" Unfortunately the results were far too varied to help him. Results ran from telling her that her rear looked obese in a certain pair of pants to not remembering her childhood pet's name.

He was willing to ask her directly about it, but decided to give it a few days to see if things would pass.

On Friday, Sheldon was in the lobby getting his mail. When he turned around, he saw Dr. Rostenkowski-Wolowitz coming in the door.

"Sheldon, just the guy I want to see," she said in a friendly tone.

"You aren't here to see Penny?" he asked.

"Penny? Sheldon, she's gone."

A pit settled in his stomach like he never felt before. Penny was gone? What had he done? He felt emotions bubble from his chest up his throat.

"What?" his voice was strangled.

"Yeah, she left this morning. I thought you knew?" Bernadette seemed very confused.

He shook his head. "She's gone?"

"Well, yeah. She had that retreat with those kids from the show this weekend."

Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief.

"She asked that I give you this. She'd like you to read it before she gets back." Bernadette handed him an envelope with his name scribbled on the front.

"Thank you, Bernadette. I appreciate you coming by to give this to me." He was worried about what was inside the envelope.

"No problem," she smiled and turned to leave. "I'll see you around."

* * *

Sheldon walked into his bedroom, shut the door, and settled in on his bed. He took a deep breath, and without realizing it, he said a quick, silent prayer: _Please, let things be okay._

He slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a non-descript piece of paper, with Penny's handwriting on it.

_Dear Sheldon:_

_I'm sorry I have been scarce. I'm not mad at you, I promise. I've just needed time to myself to reflect on things in my life, including you._

_I've been sexually active since I was 15 years old. I don't even know exactly how many men I've been with. You probably don't want to know, and I definitely don't. I've never cheated on anyone, but during the times I wasn't in a relationship, I did my fair share of dating, and all that goes along with it._

_I've cheated on you._

_Wait. Please don't be mad. I've not been unfaithful. What I mean is that I feel like I've cheated on you with all these guys that I had no feelings for. I cheated on you with Hank Burkenbottom. He was my first. I wish, well I wish I could explain to you how much I wish you were my first. Why couldn't we have met in high school? Would things have been different? And, I cheated on you with Jason and Billy and Beau and dozens of other guys whose names and faces I don't even remember. I gave my body away, so cheaply._

_What's worse is that with Kurt and Leonard, I gave a little piece of my heart away as well. I wish I could give it all to you, Sheldon. You deserve my whole heart. You deserve my whole body, and not a used up one. It breaks my heart that I cannot give those to you, and I will regret it every day for the rest of my life, because I know that you will give me 100% of you, and I am so undeserving of it._

_But, despite my past, I am proud of my relationship with you. I am proud that I am waiting for you. And, I will be proud if we wait till we are married. I know it may be selfish, but, I need this. This is the longest I've ever gone without being intimate, and as much as I want to; trust me, I want to be with you, I want to be able to tell everyone: our friends, our families, our kids that we waited until we were married and it was worth it. It will be worth it._

_Please let me be selfish on this one. I know you will respect my choice; that's the kind of man you are and that's what I love about you._

_I love you. We will be together soon._

_Love, Penny._

Tears were delicately trickling down Sheldon's cheeks. He was moved by her candid words, her faith in him, what she must be going through inside her mind. He didn't need her to be perfect or pure. He just needed _her_.

"Oh Penny."

* * *

That evening, just before bed, Penny and the girls from her show were sitting around talking in their cabin. The producer, Gary, was chaperoning the boys in their cabin a half mile away.

The girls were sitting in their respective bunks, chattering away. Their prom was coming up in a couple of weeks, and that was the topic of conversation. When there was a lull in the talking, Deena spoke to Penny.

"Penny, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure."

"Have you and Dr. Cooper slept together?"

Well…technically they had. The older woman proceeded cautiously. "Deena, are you asking if we've had sex?"

The teen's face was red as she nodded. The rest of the girls watched and waited.

"No, we haven't," she admitted. "We are going to wait till we are married." She hoped so, at least.

"Really?" Fiona asked, seeming skeptical.

"Yes, really. I want, er, we both want our first time together to be special."

"Wow, I didn't think people did that anymore. I mean, I know we are supposed to and all, but it's cool to actually know someone actually doing it."

"The reason I asked," started Deena, "is my boyfriend told me that prom night was going to be a 'special night.' My older brother Joseph said this meant he wants sex, and said that if he even thinks of touching me, he'll break his face. Do you think that's what he meant?"

Yup, she thought. "Well, it's hard to say, hun."

"Well, that's not what I want. I don't want to have sex with him. And, I'm not ready to have sex with him or anybody."

"Good for you. Don't do anything you are not ready for."

"But, I like my boyfriend. I don't want him to dump me. We have fun together, and he treats me well. The only downfall is if he wants to have sex."

"Deena, he's a guy," Penny explained. "They are always going to want to have sex. They are always going to_ try_ to have sex. Because they're guys. That's how they are. The trick isn't to find a guy that doesn't _want_ to sleep with you, because that will never happen. The trick is to find a guy that respects your wishes, despite what he wants. You need to talk to him and explain how you feel about sex, explain that it's off the table. I don't know what will happen from there, but it all starts with sitting down and having a conversation."

"Okay."

"Listen up girls," she addressed the whole group. "I am not the kind of person who will sit here and tell you what to do. I won't preach at you or say 'do this don't do that.' What I _will_ say is make sure he's worth it. You do not want to look back five, ten years from now with regret or shame. If you fall into a pattern of going from boyfriend to boyfriend, bed to bed, it is a slippery slope. At some point, you will come to your senses and wonder what you were thinking. And you can never take those actions back."

A knock came at the door. It was Gary. "Lights out, girls." Gary was the kind producer of their show. He was in his 50's, and had such a sweet and gentle demeanor. He was like everyone's favorite uncle.

"Penny, could I speak to you outside please?"

"Sure." She stepped outside onto the cabin porch and shut the door behind her.

Gary motioned to a couple of chairs, indicating for her to have a seat. "I hope you don't mind, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Is it true that you and Dr. Cooper have had a celibate relationship?"

Penny squirmed a bit. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"I'm proud of you, dear. I know that's quite the challenge."

"It can be sometimes."

"I also happened to hear you talking about regret and shame and couldn't help but wonder if you were speaking from personal experience."

"You're very perceptive, Gary. You see, I know you'll find this hard to believe, but Sheldon…he's never been with a woman before."

"Really?" the older gentleman seemed shocked.

"Yup. In his thirties, and he's never been with a woman. It's not really a religious or moral thing for him though. He was just so devoted to his career and to science that dating and women was never on his radar." Penny twitched her lips uncertainly. "Until a few years ago, that is. But, even then, he had a little bit of a germaphobe thing going on. But, by taking things slow, I think it helps him to warm up to the physical part of our relationship."

"You still seem unsure?"

"I've had my fair share of partners,_ too_ many actually. I'm not proud of my past. I guess I feel like Sheldon deserves better than some girl with a history like mine."

"I see."

"I'm very protective of Sheldon. His first time should be special. Beautiful. He deserves for it to be with someone less…experienced than me."

"Penny," Gary began. "Sheldon deserves to be and wants to be with the one he loves. And, that's you. But, can I offer you a bit of advice?"

"Sure," she nodded.

"God sent his son, Christ down to die for our misgivings. You've been absolved of your actions by God and Christ already. The beauty of it all is that we as humans, as misguided and wicked as we can be, all we have to do is ask for forgiveness from God, and our slate is wiped clean. He doesn't ask for anything of us in return. We just have to ask Him for mercy, and we are made whole again, pure again. Jesus already paid the price for our sins. So, all we have to do is be sorry, and we get to start fresh. Isn't that amazing?"

"It_ is_ amazing. If only starting fresh with people were so easy."

"That's what I'm saying. Have you done things in your past that you aren't proud of? Sure! We all have. But, when you enter into a serious relationship with someone, if you are fully repentant and fully committed, your slate is wiped clean. You get to start fresh. You can be a whole new person. This new Penny is sweet and pure and willing to wait. That's the Penny I know, and that's the Penny that Dr. Cooper proposed to."

"Really? I mean, you really think so?"

"I know so, kiddo."

* * *

A knock at the door broke Sheldon from his intense analysis of his laptop's hard drive.

He swung the door open, and then staggered backwards as Penny flung herself at him with full force. She was peppering his face with kisses, repeating "I missed you" and "I love you" over and over.

The perfect apology that he had spent hours crafting in his mind was left unsaid. He didn't have to say a word.

He took a step back and gave her a cheeky grin. She held open a pocket calendar and shoved it at him. It was open, and there was a date circled. "I was thinking September?"

"September? For what?" he was perplexed.

"For us to get married! And, I want to get married here in California. I want all the kids from my show to come. And for it to be sunny. And to feel that breeze from the Pacific Ocean in the air." She finally took a breath, but was bouncing with excitement.

"September? But, that's barely four months away!"

She settled down a little. "I know. And, as much as I would have loved a Texas wedding, I want to marry you as soon as possible," she interrupted him before he could speak, because she knew what he would say, "without it being a courthouse or Vegas wedding."

"Most if not all the venues will be taken. They were booking several months, sometimes over a year out."

"That's okay," she replied. "I'm not worried. We'll find somewhere, even if we have to squat in someone's backyard."

"And what about guests? This won't give them much time to get things in order to be able to come."

"We'll invite them. If they come, they come. You'll be there, and our closest friends and family will find a way to be there, and that's fine by me. So what do you say?"

Penny's laidback attitude about their wedding amused Sheldon. He didn't know what happened during her weekend retreat, but he liked it.

"I say September can't get here soon enough," he smiled. "I'm in."

She hugged him quickly. "Great!" She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, settling on one, and hit Send.

"Penny, who are you calling?"

She held up her hand to shush him. "Mrs. Cooper? It's me, Penny. Right, sorry, Mom."

"No, no, Sheldon's fine. I just wanted you to know we've set a date. Mark September 16th on your calendar."

"Yes,_ this_ September."

"No, nobody's dying."

"You're welcome, but the reason I was calling, is I was wondering if you may be able to come into town a few days early."

"We'd love for you to cater our wedding. It will probably be a smaller wedding, so hopefully it wouldn't be too much work for you. But, I can think of no one I'd rather be in charge of feeding our guests than you. And Meemaw, of course, if she is able to make it."

Sheldon heard squealing through the phone and knew his mother was over the moon. He beamed with pride down at his fiancée.

"Yes, we'll be in touch with more details."

"Of course, I'll tell him to call you."

"Okay, you too. Bye!"

She ended the phone call and noticed the blank look on his face. "Well, if we can't go to Texas, might as well bring Texas to us, right?"

Sheldon only nodded; there was no response on his tongue.

She continued, speaking a mile a minute. "I will get a couple of family recipes from my mom. Your mother will have no trouble duplicating them. And, we'll definitely have her make her famous fried chicken. And Meemaw's biscuits and homemade butter and apple butter and…"

Sheldon tilted his head and looked at Penny in a whole new way. This was the woman who was going to be his wife.

He interrupted her. "Penny, have you given thought to our honeymoon?"


	19. Chapter 19

_Once again, I own nothing._

_Just to let you know, I did not provide links in this chapter; however, you will get to points, where any of you who are internet savvy, and if you are here, I am sure you are...will be able to look up the items described in the chapter itself. It will add a more visual component to the story. However, if you choose not to look them up, hopefully the description will still be adequate enough for you to follow along._

* * *

Penny had always dreamed about going wedding dress shopping and trying on hundreds of dresses in different shapes and fabrics. She imagined she would find the perfect dress, created by some top-shelf designer. She would have her measurements taken, and in a few months, her dress would arrive, and fit like a glove.

She knew that wouldn't happen now, but that was okay. Wedding gowns needed to be ordered 6-9 months ahead of time. It was just three months before her wedding. No, she would have to find something she could buy off the rack. She knew this would greatly reduce her options. She would have to be flexible with the size…as long as it was within reason, it could be altered by a seamstress. The dress would likely have been tried on by hundreds of women and may even have some flaws.

She was on the way to pick up her mom and sister from the airport. They were flying out to go dress shopping with her. Bernadette was throwing her a bridal shower, and she had agreed to have it this weekend as well, so that Eileen and Bonnie could be present.

As she continued to drive, her mind drifted to wedding details. They had taken care of most of the major things. They had even booked their honeymoon.

* * *

Eileen, Bonnie, and Bernadette were seated on a couch outside a dressing room at the first bridal salon they went to, while Penny browsed the racks of the gowns they had available to purchase.

She knew she didn't want a poofy ball gown. Not only would it not go with their venue very well, she just never wanted a big princess dress. It just wasn't her.

The first gown she tried on was a darker shade of ivory. It was an A-Line and had a sweetheart neckline. The bottom had tons of ruffles and feathers. It was a bit much for her, but she wanted to show her entourage, so they at least had a starting point.

All three women gasped as Penny made her way outside. She knew, or at least _hoped_, it was just the excitement of seeing her in a wedding dress for the first time.

"The neckline looks beautiful on you," her mother said.

"Anything would look great on you, Penny," Bernadette added sweetly.

"What do _you_ think, Pen?" Bonnie asked.

"Ummm," she bit her bottom lip. "The bottom feels like a lot of dress. Just too much. But, I agree with Mom. I like the neckline."

Her sister spoke again. "With your height and figure, I think you should try on one of them mermaid gowns."

"Sure, I guess."

The attendant brought her three mermaid style gowns. One was decked in bling everywhere. She wasn't really interested in a sparkly dress. The next was actually a gray color. That left the third, which was white, and looked nice enough to try on.

This dress also had a sweetheart neckline. It was a one shoulder gown, and her sister was right. The dress looked fabulous on her. The dress looked like it was made for her. It hugged her curves in all the right places. Unfortunately, it just didn't feel like the dress for her. It felt like an evening gown that just happened to be white, not a bridal gown

Still, she owed it to them to show them. She stepped out of the room, and posed for them.

"Wow, Pen!"

"Va-va-voom," came Bernadette's squeaky voice.

"It really does look nice," Penny admitted. "It just doesn't feel like what I was looking for, though."

"Well, darling," her mother reasoned, "you may have to make some compromises. Your selection is going to be limited."

"I know."

She tried on a few more dresses at that store before she was ready to move on. She explained to the gal that was helping her that the mermaid dress that she had tried on was still in the running and that she would let them know.

* * *

A few hours later, the four women entered the fourth salon of the day. It was a very small hole-in-the-wall location, but it came recommended from one of her old co-workers at the Cheesecake Factory.

It was a small space, but it seemed like dresses were crammed into every possible square inch. An older woman in glasses, maybe about 60, greeted them.

"Hello, I'm Darla! I'm the owner here. How can I help you?"

Penny explained to Darla her time crunch and that she wanted to look at some options that she could buy off the rack.

"Well, I do believe I have a few things I can show you. Let's take you on back and get you settled."

Unlike the previous stores, Darla's shop only had one dressing room and one waiting area. It was very quaint, a hidden gym in the rough of Southern California.

Also, unlike the other stores, the owner seemed genuinely interested in getting to know Penny. She asked her questions about Sheldon, their relationship, their engagement, their wedding. She was really very sweet.

Unfortunately, in Penny's size, she only had a handful of gowns available for purchase. Two were very big princess gowns, so Penny knew immediately that they were not the ones. The first dress that she tried on was a trumpet-style dress. The neckline was straight across and didn't do her any favors. It was similar in shape to the mermaid one, but it flared out at the thighs, so it was more comfortable. Her main complaint was that this gown had a relatively long train, making it feel heavier than she would prefer.

When she came out of the room, her mother smiled. "I like that one."

"I'm not a huge fan of the train," Penny said.

"It fits great on you," Bonnie said.

"You like it better than the mermaid?"

Her mother nodded enthusiastically, while the two younger women shrugged noncommittally.

"Next?" Darla asked.

"Yup."

Once the next dress was on her, the bride-to-be visibly brightened as she saw herself in the mirror. Darla had put her in a very simple A-Line lace dress. It zipped in the back, which she liked. She didn't want something that laced up or with tons of buttons. There was a small train, but it was minimal.

"Now, this is more the look I am looking for."

"Let's go show momma then."

When she came out to show the group, her sister covered her mouth and Bernadette's jaw dropped.

"You like this one," Eileen said knowingly.

"I do. I like it a lot. It's definitely the front-runner."

"I do have to say, I never pictured you in something like this," her mom added.

"Why not?" Penny asked.

"Well, because you are just so California. I figured you would want glitz and glamour and style. This dress is more classic. It's more Nebraska."

She laughed in response. "Ask all of my friends. I haven't lost any of my Nebraska. I'm a tough cookie. Right, Bernadette?"

"Oh definitely," she assured. "We are often reminded of how easily she can hogtie and/or castrate the guys if they get out of line."

"That's my sister," Bonnie said proudly.

"So," Darla interjected, "what don't you like about it?"

"Well, I like it a lot. If I had to pick something, it_ is_ kind of heavy. And, the lace is rough. I feel like where my arms hit the lace, it would get really itchy after a while. But, I think I could get over those things. This is definitely my favorite so far."

"Well, we have one more dress to try, so let's scoot," the older lady led her back to the dressing room.

As it turned out, the last dress was a bust. It was much too big in the chest area, and it would have been too much work for a seamstress to try to take in.

Penny stood in the oversized dress and looked at the lace gown that was hanging on a hook inside the room. She tilted her head back and forth appraising it. "Hmmmmm."

Darla spoke with a patient tone. "Dear, why don't you tell me what you had in mind when you thought of a dress?"

"Well, I mean, I know with as much time as I have left, I have to be flexible. But, I wanted something very simple and light. Airy. Flowy fabric. I wanted it to be like I was floating. It sounds silly, but sort of angelic."

The store owner smiled. "I think I know what you are thinking of. Be right back." The woman disappeared outside the door. When she returned, she was holding a stunning dress.

Penny was breathless. "Yes, something like that. _Exactly_ like that. It's lovely." She reached out and felt the flowing chiffon.

"Well, dear, this is special order, of course, but I do have an idea. I don't want to get your hopes up, but…why don't you get back into your clothes, and meet me up by the counter, and we'll see what we can do, okay?"

* * *

Penny made her way toward the back of the store, where the counter was. She saw Darla holding a Rolodex, pick up her phone, and dial a number.

"Monique? Hello, dearie. How are you? This is Darla, over at Tanenbaum's."

"I have a gal here who loves your guys' styles. They are exactly what she is wanting."

"Well, the thing is, she is getting married in three months, so she needs something that she can buy off the rack. I was thinking you might be able to show her your backroom?"

"Super! I really appreciate this. I'll send her over right away."

Penny eyed Darla anxiously. "Well?"

"There is a boutique in Beverly Hills, called Claire Pettibone. The style you want, ethereal I would call it; that is her specialty."

Beverly Hills?! Some designer boutique in Beverly Hills certainly hadn't been on her radar.

"The Beverly Hills location is their flagship store, and they have a backroom, where they house dozens of reject gowns. Usually, they are sample dresses, dresses that were used in trunk shows, sometimes there are dresses that didn't fit and got returned to them, and occasionally they have prototype gowns that were designed and built, but never actually made it to any of her collections."

"Wow!"

"These backroom dresses are usually priced pretty reasonably too. But, someone can't just walk in off the street and go browsing through their backroom. You have to be in the know. And, today, my dear, _you_ are in the know."

"Oh my gosh!" she could hardly contain her excitement. She pulled out her pocketbook. "Please, let me pay you. I insist, for all your trouble and getting me this appointment and everything. What do I owe you?"

Darla just waved her hands dismissively. "For every so many clients I refer, they send me a dress for my collection here at the shop. Trust me, we're even. Just ask for Monique. Will you need directions?"

"We'll GPS it," Penny replied. "Thanks again!"

* * *

It felt like a dream. Penny was just hoping to find a dress that fit and looked halfway decent, and now, here she was in Beverly Hills, at a designer boutique.

She walked in, and saw a short girl with caramel colored skin and bright red lips, dressed in all black, as appeared was the standard uniform.

"You must be Monique," she extended her palm, and they shook hands. "I'm Penny. From Darla's store?"

"Of course, of course. You look very familiar."

Penny assumed that maybe Monique had caught her show and recognized her from there.

"You're dating the physicist, Dr…Cooper, isn't it?"

"Yup. Marrying him actually," she smiled and held up her ring.

"My husband Bruce worked in the anthropology department over at Caltech for a while. He's now the head of the department at UCLA."

Penny felt nervous. Anthropology was one of those fields that Sheldon was less than respectful towards. Had Bruce and Sheldon had bad blood? Was this appointment over before it even began?

"Us gals and our geniuses, huh?" Monique laughed and Penny breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, they are geniuses, but they can't live without us, can they?"

"Your lips to God's ears, my friend."

Penny introduced Monique to her posse, and they were all taken to a private room, complete with a fridge full of refreshments and a television to keep them occupied.

Just outside of the private viewing area, was a curtained off dressing room. Once inside, she was instructed to get undressed. "Alright, Penny, I am going to take some measurements, and then we'll get started."

"Great."

"I'll just start bringing the dresses to you that I think we'll work. Is that okay, or would you rather do the browsing?"

"No, you go for it. I can't wait."

"Obviously, we will be restricted in what I have to offer you, but can you give me some basic ideas of what you would like, and we'll go from there?"

Penny thought for a moment. "Well, I like the soft, breezy dresses. I told Darla I'd like to feel like I am floating. More specifically, I'd like something simple. I'm not a fan of huge embellishments or flowers or bows. I'd prefer for it to be as white or even light ivory as possible. I guess I was also thinking strapless, maybe. That's it."

"Well," Monique began, "we don't do a whole lot of strapless gowns, but I will tell you this. With your figure and your broad shoulders, some sort of straps or sleeves would probably be a good idea."

The blonde stood in her underwear and frowned. Broad shoulders? She wasn't a linebacker, for crying out loud.

But, Monique was already gone, so Penny waited.

A few minutes later, the dark-skinned girl returned with three dresses. She unzipped the first bag. "This first one is Grace. It has a very bohemian vibe. It has sleeves, which I figured you may not like, but I think the color is spot on. It will be a good place to start."

Monique slipped the dress on her, and then let her observe herself in the mirror. "Alright, tell me what you like, what you don't like, and then we'll move on, okay?"

"Well, you were right. I don't like the sleeves too much, but the color is great. It is really comfortable, and I love the skirt. It drifts perfectly. I'm not a fan of the neckline though."

"Do you want to show everybody?"

"Nah," she scrunched up her nose. "Not this time."

"Okay, the next one I have is Larissa. It is the only strapless gown we have off the rack that fits most of what you want. It's not really the color you were shooting for, though. But, let's give it a try?"

The petite woman helped Penny off with her previous gown and zipped up the new strapless gown. "Well?"

"Let's go show my mom."

"Alright."

They made their way to the room where the others were waiting, and Penny stood up on a pedestal in the center of the room.

"That's very pretty Penny," Bernadette said.

"I love the fit, and it is very comfortable. I like the fabric, but I am not crazy about the blush color. I'd prefer something whiter."

"You definitely look like you'd be very comfortable," Eileen said.

"The bows on the front and back are a bit much," Bonnie eyed them.

"Those can be easily removed. Whoever you take it to for alterations would be able to remove them no problem," Monique declared.

"That's good to know," Penny stated.

"Ready for round three?" Monique asked.

The future Mrs. Cooper simply nodded and returned to the dressing room.

* * *

After Monique had gotten Penny out of the Larissa gown, she held up a pretty white dress. "This is Chantilly. It's very modest, it has very clean lines, and the classic lace would really complement your classic beauty."

"I tried on lace once before," Penny confessed. "It was kind of heavy. I love the look of lace, though."

"Well, this lace is very light. It won't even feel any different than the first couple of dresses."

"Great!" she replied, as she shimmied into the dress, and the other girl zipped her up. The dress was only slightly big, and it should be easily able to be taken in.

She gasped when she saw herself in the mirror. The dress was stunning. It had decorative cap sleeves, but the way it hung on her body was impeccable. The dress was the exact color that she wanted. Monique had been right. The gown wasn't heavy at all. It was the best of both worlds: the look of lace without the heft. She walked back and forth in front of the mirror, just to see the way the fabric flowed. "Oh wow."

When she emerged into the viewing room, she was grinning from ear to ear. "Is this great or what?"

"Definitely," her sister agreed. "Pen, that dress is so elegant."

"Spin!" Bernadette encouraged.

Penny slowly turned around so that the group could take the dress in at every possible angle.

"Oh Penny!" Eileen inhaled. "That back!"

The back was sheer, with intricate lace details woven into it. And, it definitely enhanced her booty, which was not a bad thing.

Her blonde friend spoke. "I don't want to tell you what to do, but I can't imagine you finding better than that. You look gorgeous."

"You may have to have someone follow your fiancé around with a bucket though, to catch the puddle of drool," Bonnie joked.

Penny smiled into the mirror. "I think this may be my dress. Hmmm. Yes, it is a lovely dress."

They made their way back to the changing room. "Is this the one?" Monique asked.

"I think so," she replied semi-confidently. "It's wonderful."

"Well, I will take the first two and put them back," the attendant grabbed the two bags. "If you are sure, go ahead and get dressed, and we'll take care of the paperwork."

Minutes later, Monique peeked behind the curtain, where Penny was standing there in her underwear, looking at the lace gown.

"Still thinking?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I found one more dress I'd like you to try on. Hopefully, it will help you to know for sure if this is the one."

"Okay," Penny agreed.

"This one is called Queen Anne's Lace. It's not full lace, though. It has that soft, floating skirt you love. It's very vintage. It gives the sense of old England."

Once the gown was on, Penny was immediately in love. Overall, this dress was exactly what she had in mind from the start. It almost felt like a really fancy nightgown. The bodice was lace, and the light fabric flowed perfectly from its empire waist.

"I love this. I love this," she whispered.

"Really?"

"Oh yes!"

"Great."

"I do have a couple of questions, though."

"Shoot."

Penny trailed her hands along some ribbon and an embellishment along the waistline. "I'm not a fan of these ribbons. I'm not too keen on this thing right here, either." She pointed to the embellishment. "But, I could probably get over it."

"The ribbon can definitely be taken off," Monique guaranteed. "The applique will probably be able to come off, but I think once the ribbon is gone, it won't bother you as much."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Actually, hold on just one sec." The shop gal disappeared for a few moments, and then reappeared with an iPad in her hand. She pressed at the screen a few times. "I'm going to try to get the lady that does most of our alterations on the line."

"Wow, the miracle of technology, huh?"

Penny heard a "Hello?" and then Monique held the iPad up toward her, and she saw a familiar face on Facetime. It was Darla.

"Darla! What do you think?" she twirled for the older woman.

"I think you look like an angel, dear." Penny beamed at the compliment.

"The ribbons can come off, right?" Monique asked from behind the screen.

"Definitely."

"And the applique?"

"Hard to tell without seeing how it is attached, but most likely."

"I have a question," Penny said meekly.

"Yes, darling?"

"It is a little dark for my liking." The dress was ivory and had an almost gold tint to it. "Is there anything you can do, like dye it or anything?"

Darla studied the dress for a moment. "Can you lift up the tulle for a minute?"

The blonde gathered up the layers of fabric, until only a layer of beige underskirt was visible. The face on the iPad nodded knowingly.

"Well, it would require some reconstruction, but I think I know the solution. I would trim that bottom layer completely off. Then, I could attach some fabric just like it, only white. That should give the dress a much whiter appearance. It looks like the tulle itself is tinted ivory, and I can't do much about that, but changing the base fabric should make a difference."

"And, you can do that?"

"Oh, yes, dear. Give me a couple of weeks, and that dress will be good as new."

Between removing the ribbons and lightening the color, Penny could envision her perfect dress. "Thanks! I'll be in touch, then?"

Monique turned the iPad around. "Thanks for your help, Mrs. Tanenbaum." After a few more words exchanged, she shut down the connection.

"Ready?" the dark-haired girl asked.

She received only a nod in response, but tears were already bubbling in Penny's eyes.

By the time Penny walked into the room to show her mom, sister, and Bernadette, she had tears coming down her face.

"Be careful," Monique kidded. "You get tears on it, you buy it."

Unfortunately, she did not get much of a response from the gallery.

* * *

"That's…different," her mom said, trying to stay upbeat.

"It's okay, but I liked the other one better." Her sister was always honest with her.

And Bernadette was ever neutral. "Whatever you think, Penny."

Penny sucked up her tears and explained, "We are going to get rid of all this." She motioned toward the embellishments and ribbons along the waist. "And, I should be able to get the color a little closer to white."

Ultimately, it didn't matter what they thought. She was in love with the dress, and she knew it. "I love the Chantilly dress, I do. I could get that dress and be perfectly happy with my choice. But, this one makes me feel everything I want to feel…divine. I want to look like I could sprout wings and just glide down the aisle, without my feet ever touching the ground. Because, that's how Sheldon makes me feel. Good. Pure."

Her mother stood immediately and reached into her purse. "Ring it up. We're done here."

* * *

Once out of her dream dress, Penny went to grab for her clothes. Monique interrupted her. "I don't suppose you need some lingerie?"

"Maybe…" her cheeks pinkened.

"Our lingerie here is much like our dresses, in the same style. Very soft fabrics and lace and romantic and classic."

"I'm in," the future bride smiled.

"I'll bring you a few options, and you can try them on, okay?"

She settled on Colette, an innocent half-camisole and boyshorts set; Bellaire, a simple white bra and panty set; and for the wedding night, she fell for Gabriella, a beautiful lace nightie. She had also had her eye on a red lace bra and panty set from Victoria's Secret, sure to knock Sheldon's socks off. She made a mental note to save the red number for further into the honeymoon just in case it _actually_ killed her husband.

She knew her mother insisted on paying for her dress, as she had with Bonnie. But, Penny instructed Monique that she would pay for the lingerie herself. There was something about having her mom pay for items that would lead to sexy times that just gave her the heebie jeebies.

All in all, it had been a productive day.

* * *

The next morning, she woke with Sheldon pressed up against her back, arm curled around her body possessively. She inhaled her fiance's scent of soap, aftershave, and minty breath.

Thankfully, her mother and sister were sharing a hotel room. She loved them and wouldn't have minded allowing them to share her apartment, but waking up in Sheldon's tender embrace was her own personal heaven.

Shortly after, she felt him get up out of the bed and then heard her television come on. Oh yes, _Dr. Who_ time.

As much as she would have loved to join Sheldon for _Dr. Who_, she drifted back to sleep.

She heard a noise and her eyes fluttered open to reveal her fiancé carrying a tray of food. She sat up and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. He sat the tray in front of her, then walked around the bed and placed a newspaper that he had folded between his arm and body onto to the bed. He pulled back the covers and crawled into bed with her.

Penny's eyes lit up. There was an egg white omelet, with onions, peppers, and mushrooms, a couple of slices of toast, a bowl of cereal, and a mug of coffee. He also included a small glass jug of milk, for both her coffee and the cereal. And, to top it off, he had placed a single sad looking flower inside a short vase on the tray as well.

She leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you. What's the occasion?"

"I don't need an occasion to spoil my fiancée, do I?" he asked as he unfolded the paper.

"I guess not," she dug into her breakfast.

"When are you hens getting together for your shower again?"

She rolled her eyes. "Three o clock."

After she finished her meal, she picked up the comics page. They sat side by side, reading the newspaper. Then, together, they did the crossword and Sudoku.

It wasn't even 9 o' clock in the morning yet, so Penny slid back down the bed, and Sheldon did the same. He lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, and she draped her arm over his chest as she snuggled up to him. It didn't take long for them to fall back asleep.

* * *

Two hours and one heavy make out session later, they woke up for the last time that morning. Once again, Sheldon was pressed to her back, holding her in a tight grip. She felt his warm breath on her ear as he mumbled to her, "I wish we could just lie in bed like this for days."

She smiled to herself. "That's what our honeymoon is for."

When he spoke, he was completely somber, but there was something so sexy about how he delivered the response. "I certainly hope that's not _all_ it's for."

She giggled and elbowed him gently. "Shush."

He reached down and flexed his fingers behind her knees, a spot he knew made her ticklish. She chuckled and breathlessly said, "Stop it!"

He then brought both hands up to her waist, another sensitive spot for her, and tickled her enthusiastically. She laughed even louder, and began to squirm, trying to shake him off, but that only delighted him further.

This continued as she yelled "Stop it!" "Uncle!" and "Mercy!" to no avail. She couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.

Between her twisting and struggling and his insistent teasing, it happened very fast. His hand accidentally slipped underneath the elastic band of her sleep shorts. He jerked his hand back quickly, as if he had touched a hot stove. Her giggling dissolved into silence, as she sucked in a whoosh of air, while he nervously apologized.

"I'm sorry. That was inadvertent."

Penny was glad he was still behind her as her eyes had gone wide. "Of course, sure, sure."

An awkward moment settled between them.

"Except…" she started.

"Except?"

"You trust me, right?"

"Of course!" Sheldon replied without hesitation.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed his large hand and guided it to her stomach, letting it rest beneath hers. "I'd like you to touch me there."

"What?!" Sheldon's voice came out at an octave that Penny had never heard before.

She was nervous, too. But, being the more experienced one in their relationship, she knew that it was up to her to give him a push. "Relax. I'll help you."

Gradually, she directed his hand underneath her shorts and her panties. She let go of his hand. "Okay, Sheldon, I just want you to take things at your own speed. Explore, get to know my body, okay? No pressure."

He gulped before agreeing. He stretched the muscles in his hand as if he was preparing to play the piano, or more likely in his case, his vintage GameBoy. He glided his hands over her private area. He felt soft tufts of hair. It was not an excessive amount, as she clearly kept herself groomed. But, he actually appreciated that she did not feel perfectly smooth down there.

While his actions weren't in and of themselves sexy by any stretch of the imagination, Penny couldn't help but be turned on. The man that she loved, that had never touched another woman like this, was facing his fears and giving into his curiosity…and for her. Was there anything hotter?

His hand traveled further down, and due to the sheer wetness leaking from her body, one of his fingers unintentionally slipped inside her, only slightly. "Oh God!" she let out.

His hand twitched. "Sorry!" he said worriedly. "I'm so sorry."

"No, Sweetie, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting it. It surprised me, that's all. It's going to be a long honeymoon if you are apologizing every ten minutes over something you think you've done wrong."

"I just don't want to hurt you," he replied quietly.

"You won't," she comforted him. "I trust you."

Sheldon sighed, and Penny took that as a sign to continue.

* * *

She reached down and took his hand again. She pushed it up toward the top of her pelvic region. "Do you feel that, Sheldon? That little nub?"

He cleared his throat. "Um, yes, I believe I do. I took advanced anatomy and physiology as a 14 year old. This would be, I believe, the clitoris?"

"Okay, don't ruin this," she growled. "No clinical terms, please. Anyway, I want you to rub it, okay? Slowly, at first. Then, the pace will pick up naturally." Again, she let go of his hand and allowed him to stroke her.

His hand was clumsy at first, but exceedingly gentle. She could feel her juices from where his finger had entered her by mistake. She realized he hadn't taken a breath.

"Honey, breathe." He exhaled immediately.

She rolled herself onto her back, to give him easier access; she widened her legs, as her arousal was becoming more noticeable. Her heart broke and swelled at the same time at the look on Sheldon's face: pure focus and concentration. He was as determined with her body as she had ever seen him while working on his physics equations. She gazed at him lovingly.

He felt her muscles clenching and unclenching. Her body seemed to be involuntarily swaying back and forth. He looked up at her face, and her eyes were clasped shut, meanwhile she was biting her bottom lip. Without stopping his movements, he leaned up and kissed each of her closed eyes gently. "I love you," he whispered.

Her body was moving faster now, which led to him rubbing a little more rapidly and with a bit more force. He heard a noise come from her throat, but he couldn't place it. It was almost as if she was choking something back. She let out a sigh. "Don't stop, Sheldon. Keep going."

About this time, the rolling of her body was replaced by her hips bucking against his hand. A whimper emitted from her mouth. "Oh God….Oh God."

He felt anxiety creeping up inside of him. He wanted to stop. But, he kept going. She had asked him to. "Faster, Sheldon, almost there."

He complied and moved his hand up and down, increasing his speed.

It had been a long while since Penny had been to this point at the hands of another person. She balled her fists up, as she felt a sensation filling her up. She could feel it down to her toes, her body was shaking and pulsating inside of her. "AH!" she let out a yell, but she wasn't quite there yet. "Sheldon…oh Sheldon…oh God, please…"

There was a knock at her door. Before Penny could tell Sheldon to not stop, he had already jumped away quickly. He was staring down at his hand, mesmerized.

She hastily threw a robe around herself, even though she wasn't undressed. She rushed to the front door and looked out the peephole. Of course, it was her mom and sister.

She waved Sheldon to come to the living room. She pushed him over to the sofa and made him sit down. She turned the television on, ran back to her room, grabbed the newspaper and threw it at him as she smoothed down her own hair and prayed her face wasn't as red as it felt right then.

She didn't know why she was acting this way. After all, she _was_ an adult, nearly 30 years old. She could do anything she well pleased with Sheldon in her bedroom in the privacy of her own home. And, yet, here she was, acting as if she had been caught.

She inhaled deeply, and opened the door with a smile on her face. "Hey guys! Did you sleep well? We're just hanging out, watching some Saturday morning television and reading the paper. No big deal." It all came out at once, without her stopping for a breath.

"Sounds fun?" Bonnie looked at her funny.

"We were hoping we could see some sights before heading over for your party," her mother suggested.

"Yeah, I can show you around a little bit," Penny agreed. "Just let me take a quick shower and get ready and we can go."

"And I do have some work to do today, so I will let myself out. I'll see you later," Sheldon sped past the three women without sparing them a glance.

Eileen and Bonnie looked at Penny with confused looks on their faces. "He gets weird sometimes. You get used to it," she explained.

* * *

Penny's bridal shower was an intimate gathering at Bernadette and Howard's apartment. Howard had taken Toby over to Raj's for the afternoon.

Bernadette had added some unassuming décor throughout her apartment, as well as flower arrangements throughout, giving it a special touch. She had prepared an assortment of finger foods and light desserts.

They had invited some of her former co-workers from the Cheesecake Factory and Crate and Barrel, as well as a couple of crew members from her TV show. There was also a handful of her friends that she had made when she first made it out to California and still hung out with every now and then. She and Holly from Canticle Christian had become somewhat close over the last few weeks, getting together usually once a week for lunch, so she was in attendance as well. She felt a little guilty, as she had asked Bernadette not to send Amy an invitation.

Penny knew that Amy and Bernadette were still friends, and she hated to put Bernadette in the middle. But, Amy hadn't been particularly close to the group since she and Sheldon split. And, after the blowup at the hospital, there was still lingering awkwardness between them. Plus, Amy was still socially unusual, and she really didn't want her guests to be uncomfortable.

After a short amount of time spent eating and socializing, Penny moved on to opening gifts. They had registered at Macy's and Crate and Barrel. She had even let Sheldon register for a few items from Amazon. She hated to open the gifts. They all looked so pretty, wrapped in papers of white, silver, and pink, topped with shiny, glittery bows and ribbons. One by one, she opened each gift, making sure to thank each guest for their generosity.

There was a knock at the door, and Bernadette stood to answer it. She stood on her tiptoes to peek out the eyehole. Penny continued to open gifts and chat with her friends, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw the hostess of the event open her door a sliver and talk quietly to the person on the other side.

Finally, the "little Catholic girl" turned around and smiled. "Penny, your groom-to-be has sent a present over for his bride."

"What?!" she asked, surprised. "Doesn't that whackadoodle know that he's not required to send a gift to the bridal shower?"

A distinct voice answered her jokingly. "Watch your mouth. It's a non-optional social convention, and that boy's your whackadoodle now, darlin'."

Penny grinned, rushed over by the door, and squeezed the tiny figure. "Mrs. Cooper!"

* * *

She introduced Mary to her mother, and they took to each other immediately, like old friends. As the party wound down, they sat and exchanged funny stories, pictures on their phones, and questions about each other's respective cooking styles.

Penny helped Bernadette clean up. "Can you say match made in heaven?"

"Yeah, if you and Sheldon weren't already getting married, I could see them trying to set you guys up."

She replied with a smile. "Me too, actually."

"Thank you so much for this shower, Bernadette. It was great, just perfect. You really outdid yourself."

"It was no trouble at all. It was nice to have a little girly time. This is the first time I've been away from Toby and not felt anxious. It's good to feel normal again."

"I have a question for you."

"Sure."

"Sheldon and I…we're not having a wedding party. The idea of having to choose a best man sent him into fits. He said the only way he'd want a best man would be if Nimoy or Hawking were available. And dang it, they're not," she dismissed airily. "It's going to be a small wedding anyway, and we'd like our friends to be able to come and enjoy the wedding as guests. No stress or responsibilities."

"That's very thoughtful of you guys."

"I do want you to know that you are more than welcome to join me while I am getting ready and all that jazz. You don't _have to_, I'm not saying that. But, if you _want to_, you are definitely invited."

"Thanks, Penny," the petite girl said with genuine appreciation.

"But, I was wondering if you would be one of our witnesses. We need two witnesses to sign the marriage certificate and make it official. I'd love for you to be one of them."

"Wow, yes, of course I will!" she hugged the taller woman. "Is Leonard the other one then?"

Penny shrugged. "I'm not sure. _I_ think it should be, but I told Sheldon it's really up to him to make a decision and take care of things."

"I can't wait for Sheldon to see you in that dress. He's going to think he died and went to heaven and you were the angel sent to greet him there. After 'you may kiss the bride,' he may just pick you up, throw you over his shoulder, and run away with you…skip the reception entirely."

She laughed. "Yeah, he just may."

* * *

The next day, they were getting ready to take their mothers to the airport. Penny couldn't believe that Mary had come into town just for her bridal shower.

Well, she hadn't.

Mary was actually on her way to Seattle, and had a layover in Los Angeles anyway. Sheldon had paid for a flight change, so that she could have an overnight stopover.

Mary's leg onto Seattle and her mother and sister's flights back to Nebraska were both out of LAX and only a couple of hours apart, so they had all agreed to head to the airport together. Sheldon and Penny insisted on taking them all out for lunch before they dropped them off.

Her mother expressed interest in always wanting to try something when she came out to visit her. She wanted to go to a true Californian institution: In-N-Out Burger.

There happened to be an In-N-Out right by the airport, so it was agreed that they would have lunch there before dropping them off. It wasn't really Sheldon's idea of "treating" them to a nice meal, but everyone else seemed pretty enthusiastic about it, so there they were.

It was a nice day, so after they got their food, they sat outside on the patio, and watched as planes took off, landed, and approached the hangars.

His mom squealed. "A meal _and_ a show? This is a treat and a half!"

"And I definitely see how people get addicted to this place," Eileen gave a thumbs up and pointed to her burger.

"No, Bon," Penny was instructing. "You dip the fries _in_ the shake. Good right?" Her sister nodded.

"And, looky here," Mary pointed. "Scripture passages right on the wrappers." She stood to get up.

"Mommy, where are you going?"

"I'm goin' to get me another burger and maybe try a milkshake. This establishment has indeed earned Mary Cooper's business."

He shook his head. He was surrounded by four women, eating at a fast food restaurant. It was noisy from the people. It was noisy from the aircrafts. He was watching his fiancée teach her sister how to eat like uncivilized savages. He really should have felt like he had entered the seventh circle of Dante's inferno. Yet, he didn't.

He felt emotions bubbling inside of him. This was a sense of family that he had never experienced before. This was happiness.

* * *

"Oh Mom," Penny handed her mother a piece of paper, as Mrs. Cooper returned. "When you get back, can you dig up these recipes and have Dad email them to me so I can pass them on to Sheldon's mom? For the reception dinner?"

Mary piped up. "I've got a better idea. Why don't we cut out the middle man? Eileen, how 'bout we exchange phone numbers instead? Then, you can call me with the recipes, and I'll have your number just in case I have any questions or suggestions?"

Penny's mom agreed, and the two women worked on getting the phone numbers plugged into their respective phones. All Sheldon heard was the word "suggestions." All Penny saw were the two women getting along as if they had known each other for most of their lives.

As they did that, Penny asked Sheldon, "Sweetie, I have an appointment with the bakery this Thursday at noon. Do you want to come or..."

"The bakery?" he was puzzled. "I thought we had already decided on the flavors?"

She snickered patiently. "Yes, but now we have to go over the design of the cake, the colors, the shape; I need to pick out a cake stand, things like that."

"Oh, um, no I don't think I need to be present for that."

"Do you have a preference on the shape and design?"

"Can they do a triangle base, a spherical middle, and the top tier as a tetrahedron?" he asked, voice full of hope.

"I doubt it, Sweetie," she patted his shoulder.

"Then no, I don't have a preference."

She pulled out another sheet and handed it to her future mother-in-law. "Here is the menu we came up with. We included five hors 'doeuvres options. We really only need two or three, in addition to the fruit and crudité trays that we are ordering. So, you can just decide what the easiest ones for you will be."

Mary smoothed out the paper and read off the dishes to herself.

"Just let us know what ingredients you need for us to have ready for you, and how much, okay? I talked to the Christian school where the kids from my show go. They are going to let us use their kitchen that weekend. They are going to clear off a shelf in their fridge for us to store things. That Thursday, you can use it after 5 pm, and then we have use of it all weekend, after 1:30 on Friday. They also have some catering equipment they use for fundraisers they are going to let us borrow."

"Well, my, my, Penny. You're mighty prepared. Sounds like all I have to do is show up and cook."

"Hopefully!"

She looked down at the time on her phone, and saw they would need to be leaving shortly. "Momma, when will you and Daddy be getting into town that week? You have flights already, right?"

"Of course we do," her mother replied. "We will be getting into town Monday evening. Do you have a project for me yet?"

"Boy do I!"

"Go on."

"Well, on such late notice, all the florists I could find were booked, except for a handful that were outrageously priced. And one that was just…" she imitated a puking motion. "Well, you have a green thumb. I was thinking I could buy some bulk flowers from Costco, and you could put together my bouquet and the boutonnieres and corsages and the centerpieces and everything like that. What do you say?"

"I say, sign me up. We probably don't want to have the flowers delivered any earlier than Wednesday; that way, the flowers will still be fresh by the time Saturday comes around."

"Agreed."

"What flowers do you have in mind?"

"Well, I don't really know. Wildflowers, something very organic and natural looking. Autumn colors. When you get a chance, go to Dad's office and go on the Costco website and look at what they have available. Then, once you get an inspiration, just give me a call, and we'll hash out the details."

"I will get right on that."

"Oh, and Sheldon," she turned back to her fiancé. "We need to get the song list finalized by next Friday, okay? The band needs plenty of time to get their sheet music and everything prepared."

He didn't reply. He looked at her, his mouth hanging open, as if he were dumbfounded. And, Sheldon Cooper was rarely dumbfounded.

"For someone as unorganized as you, you really are quite remarkable at planning this whole process." He seemed amazed.

She rolled her eyes. "I caught the dig about me being unorganized, mister. But, thanks."

Mary leaned over and spoke quietly to Eileen. "My Shelly loves your daughter very much."

They talked quietly amongst themselves for a bit.

Meanwhile, Bonnie was being an instigator. "Kiss him, Pen. That was so sweet."

"Not now," Penny glared at her sister.

"Come on, kiss him. One little smooch."

"Not in front of them," she nodded to their mothers.

"They aren't even paying attention. Mwah mwah mwah mwah mwah."

"Real mature, Bon."

"Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss…"

"Ugh, fine." Penny leaned over and placed the tiniest of kisses against Sheldon's cheek.

"Boooooooooooooo!" was the response she got from her sibling.

"Bonnie," the blonde warned.

Sheldon placed his hand on Penny's thigh, she assumed to calm her down and keep her from blowing up. But, then the other hand grabbed the back of her head and he kissed her full on the mouth. It was not a chaste kiss either. It lasted several seconds, and was that his tongue? In front of his mother?

There was silence at the table, as their mothers had stopped their discussion to watch them. Once they had pulled apart, Sheldon looked directly at Bonnie and raised both eyebrows, daring her to say one more word.

Penny's cheeks were flushed, while Sheldon was wearing a tell-tale smirk on his lips. She stood and avoided eye contact with everyone "Let's get you guys to the airport."

* * *

_Hey guys! I just wanted to thank all my followers and everyone who has offered me reviews and other positive words of encouragement. _

_The last chapter was particularly difficult for me, dealing with the whole Christian angle as well as the "no sex before marriage" angle. It was not easy to write. It thrilled me to bits when it was received so well, though. _

_Thanks, again!_


	20. Chapter 20

_I do not own the Big Bang Theory._

_Wedding time! Woohoo! Just to help you follow along, you will just have to imagine in your head the pastor saying the vows and having them repeat them back, for those of you who have seen that done at an actual ceremony. I didn't want to type out the pastor saying three words, then them repeating back three words and so on and so forth for the whole thing. So use your imagination!_

* * *

There she was, walking down the aisle. She smiled down at all her family and friends. All eyes were on her, and she felt like she was a star. She saw the Reverend waiting at the end of the walkway, Bible in hand.

As she got to the end of the aisle, she immediately saw that her fiancé was not there. Rather, a short curly haired physicist was in his place.

"Leonard, what's going on?" she asked him quietly.

"Sheldon made me promise that as his best friend, if anything were to happen to him, I would take care of you."

"Where is Sheldon?" she started to look around. "Where _is_ he, Leonard?"

"I think we should get started," Leonard directed to the officiant.

"No!" she shouted. "What's going on?"

"He got his Nobel," the miniature man ran his hand through his slicked back hair. "The ceremony was today."

"Well, why didn't he call me? Why didn't he _tell_ me? He just left?"

"He just left. And, his plane went down over the Atlantic," Leonard said with no emotion in his voice. "Sheldon's dead."

"What?! My fiancé is dead, and we are supposed to just get married and act like nothing happened?"

"Don't you get it, Penny? He's been dead this whole time. It wasn't until he got on that plane to earn his destiny that he was truly alive. Without the Nobel Prize, he was just a rotting corpse, waiting for death. At least he died happy."

She turned around and looked at all the faces in the crowd. One by one, they all started yelling at her. "He's gone, Penny!" "He's dead." "Move on!" "We came to watch a wedding. Get on with it!" and some variance of all of the above.

Her bouquet fell from her hands, and she felt herself falling. The last thing she saw was Leonard's eyes, shining a bright blue, a color she had only ever seen once before in eyes that were most certainly not his.

* * *

Penny shot up, and instantly felt woozy. She was in her parents' hotel room. "Shel…where's Sheldon? Mom where's Sheldon? Where is he?"

"Honey?" her mother, who was busy wrapping satin ribbon around flower stems, rushed to her side.

"I need Sheldon. He can't go."

"Penny, I think you may have had a bad dream. Now lie back down, and take a few breaths, okay?" She pushed her daughter back down on the soft bed, and ran her hands through her hair.

"A dream?" the blonde asked and then looked around. "A dream, oh thank God." She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

"Baby doll, you have been running yourself ragged all week. I thought a nap would do you some good, not make things worse."

"I had a dream that Sheldon won the Nobel Prize, but then he died, and I was supposed to marry Leonard, and I think Leonard is the one that killed Sheldon; there probably wasn't even a Nobel Prize. And, Sheldon loved the Nobel more than me. And no one cared that he was dead…"

"Oh Pen, that's called a cold feet dream. You have some sort of crazy awful dream that makes you re-think things and question your relationship. It's normal. Not fun, but normal."

"It is?"

"Before my wedding, I had a nightmare that your daddy was a serial killer called the Cattle Drive Assassin. He would knock women unconscious and then get cows to run all over their bodies till it killed 'em."

Penny chuckled. "That doesn't seem very possible." She then got serious. "Sheldon loving the Nobel more than me is entirely possible."

"Well, you're wrong."

"What?"

"That boy loves you. And he loves science. But, if he had to choose, he would choose you. And, I think you know that."

She nodded. "Thanks, Mom. I think I _am_ going to sleep just a little bit longer, okay?"

"Try to dream of better things, this time. Like that trip of yours."

* * *

It was Penny's last day of being a single woman. Tomorrow, she would be a Mrs. A wife. She would have a husband. No matter how she worded it, it always sounded perfect.

Luckily, her show was still off-season, so she hadn't had to ask for time off from work for the wedding and honeymoon. However, the week of the wedding, she had kept herself particularly busy.

Darla had fixed her dress. Unfortunately, the embellishment was not able to come off, but with the underskirt a white color and the ribbons gone, it wasn't the eyesore that she worried it would be. All this week, she had tried the dress on every day…some days even multiple times. The dress fit beautifully, but she just couldn't help but double and triple check.

She had found out that Gary's wife ran her own private paper goods business. Lucille had done their invitations and they had turned out beautifully. So, Lucille was also assigned to take care of their programs, table numbers, and some other decorative touches.

She had gone up to check on Mrs. Cooper at the school cafeteria, to see if she needed any ingredients, equipment, or just help in general. While up there, Meemaw had talked her into helping her cut out biscuits.

Meanwhile, every evening this week, she had come to her parents' hotel room to help put together floral arrangements.

It was no surprise that she had been exhausted. Even though she had offered to pick up Ryan, Bonnie, and Gavin from the airport that afternoon, her mother had insisted she take a quick nap, and paid for them to use a car service instead.

While she had been in charge of nearly everything, she had hired a wedding coordinator to help during the actual day of the ceremony. The gal's name was Tia, and she was to meet with her later tonight, to go over any last minute things. Tia would take care of making sure that everyone and everything got to their proper places. She was also going to decorate the reception space for them that morning. It had been an additional expense, but well worth it.

* * *

They did not have an elaborate rehearsal dinner, as Bonnie did before her wedding. In fact, it had only been her, her parents, Sheldon, his mother, and the officiant present for the rehearsal. Even though other people would be participating in the wedding, she wanted to keep the rehearsal as low-key as possible. The pastor was happy to oblige to her wishes.

Rather than have the traditional rehearsal dinner, they invited their friends and families over to Sheldon and Leonard's apartment for video games, board games, cards, and Chinese food. They just left the door open and people came and went as they pleased. It was all very informal. It was a little hippie dippy for Sheldon's tastes, but when compared to the idea of having an uncomfortable, stuffy sit-down meal in a suit and tie, this he could handle.

Sheldon was taking a break from Mario Kart and went to the kitchen to get a refill on his apple juice when Penny came and stood right beside him, nudging him gently with her shoulder.

"Dr. Cooper," she acknowledged.

"Yes?" They stood next to each other, taking, but without ever looking directly at each other.

"I don't suppose I need to tell you how lucky we are."

"Luck!" he let out in a mocking voice. He could feel her eyes on him. "Yes, we are very fortunate to have friends and family here to help celebrate our momentous occasion."

She placed her hand on top of his as she continued to survey the group. "Are you nervous?"

"I am," he freely admitted.

"Cold feet?"

"No, not at all! I am more than ready to marry you. In my mind, we are already joined together." He lowered his voice. This really was for her ears only. "I am nervous about our first time together. And, that I can be the kind of husband you deserve. I worry about disappointing you."

She squeezed his hand gently. "Well, don't. I am going to go get my car packed up. My family and I will be leaving soon. We can go up to the roof to talk when I get back, okay?"

He watched her leave the apartment, then quietly made his way back to his room to prepare.

* * *

For convenience sake, Penny had gotten a room at the same hotel her mother and sister were staying. This way, she didn't take a chance of Sheldon seeing her before the ceremony. Also, it allowed for them to all be in the same general area, when it came to getting Penny ready.

So, she had to get her dress, makeup, and other accessories into her car, as well as her luggage, as they were leaving for their honeymoon immediately after the reception. She double checked that she had gotten everything she needed. She also made sure to turn her thermostat down and unplug all major electronics. Sheldon agreed to give his spare key to her apartment to Leonard. He had agreed to pick up her mail and check on her apartment every other day or so, just to make sure nothing was flooding, growing mold, or exploding.

After her last trip to her car, she looked through her apartment one last time. Satisfied that she was ready to go, she shut the door and locked it behind her. She walked up the steps outside her apartment toward the roof where she knew her fiancé would be waiting.

One thing they had agreed on was that they would do traditional vows during the ceremony. While they would be less personal, they wanted to try to keep their emotions, much like their relationship, private and only between themselves. They had decided, however, to write their own individual vows to share with each other tonight.

She expected to find Sheldon studying the Pasadena cityscape or gazing up at the stars. When she made it through the door, she was taken aback to see him standing a few yards away staring toward the door, waiting for her. He was holding a bouquet of multi-colored daisies.

She walked forward and wrapped her arms around him in a loving hug, which he easily returned. They held each other so close, and Sheldon took in her scent, the beautiful lingering aroma that he could only describe as perfect. After a while, he buried his face in her hair and murmured, "Marry me."

She stepped back and smiled. "Okay."

He handed her the flowers, which she held in one hand, as he took her other hand in his own. "I, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, take you Penny, to be my best friend and wife. How can you miss something you've never known before? For years, I was simple man, brilliant in my own right, but simple nonetheless. My heart was devoted to my beloved science, and I relished a life of simplicity. Nothing was wrong with my life. Then, you walked into it. And, despite you being _added_ to my life, I felt an absence inside of me. It felt as if something was missing from my world. It was a feeling I had never experienced. When we began our relationship, I felt complete. I felt whole. I've never shared this with you before, not fully, but I want to share it now. I think we've been destined for each other for months now, years maybe. And, if I am being honest with myself, I sometimes believe we were destined for each other long before we ever even met. Like, the wheels were in motion in the universe to get us to this one blinking moment in time, when we would both be in the same place at the same time at the proper instant. I just cannot chalk up the single most defining moment in my life to chance, to coincidence. Every great scientific discovery I will make in my lifetime pales in comparison to this: I believe, with every fiber of my being, that something, some_one_ intended for us to be together all along. I take you as my wife. I will honor you and love you forever."

He was unsurprised to see tears streaming down her face. He reached up with his spare hand and allowed his long thumbs to gently brush away the drops trickling from her eyes. She stilled herself and took a breath.

She added a small piece to the beginning of her speech, as she thought it would be touching to mirror his own declaration. "I, Penny, take thee Sheldon, to be my best friend and husband. When I was young, I had a vision of my life. I wanted that childhood sweetheart kind of love. I wanted to be like Cory and Topanga. What I envied about their relationship is that it was just so easy for them. There was no getting to know each other through a series of dates. There was no learning their relationship. Their love was just always _there_, like it had been there all along, their whole life. It was so beautiful. It's good that that's not how it worked out for me, though. I wasn't ready for that kind of relationship. And, there were no guys at my school that would be worthy Cories. But, with me and you, I was able to get that feeling that I always wanted. Our connection wasn't something to be learned over time. It was just always there. I can't remember a day that I didn't love you. I have loved you since the day we met…in different ways. As a friend. As a neighbor. As someone I wanted to be more than friends. As my knight. And, finally, as the great love of my life. I don't ignore my past. It made me who I am. But, in the Story of Penny, it begins and ends with you. Always." She trailed off in a whisper.

Sheldon gulped down his emotions. His eyes were tingling and watery. He then theatrically looked at an invisible reverend standing off to the side.

Looking down at Penny, he stated, "I may now kiss the bride."

"Yes, you may," she smiled back.

They shared a tender kiss, as Penny dropped her bouquet so that she could cling to him with both hands. She glanced over her shoulder at the open door.

She wanted very much in that moment to seal their bond. In her mind and in her soul, she felt married to him in every way that mattered. After those beautiful words, being up there on the roof…it would be a wonderful memory.

But, even _if_ someone didn't come looking for them first, and the door didn't lock, she would have to leave soon to go to meet the wedding coordinator and head to the hotel. She didn't want to spend their first time together, and then minutes later have to get up and leave him. No, for all their patience, they deserved more than that. It would be a lengthy experience, and they would wake up in each other's arms. What's another couple of days anyway?

* * *

Penny's eyes opened the next morning, and she stretched out in the comfy bed of her hotel room that was on the same floor as her family. She saw sunlight peeking in the window, and looked at the clock: 8:30 AM.

Then, she heard knocking. The knocking must have been what woke her up in the first place, she reasoned. Assuming it was her mother and/or sister, she opened the door without looking to see who it was. As she opened the door, she saw a beautiful bouquet of what she gauged to be three dozen white roses. She quickly dug through her purse and pulled out some cash to tip the delivery girl, then shut the door and admired the flowers.

Fully expecting a note from her sweet physicist, she opened the little envelope. She was surprised by the card:_ For a beautiful bride on a beautiful day. Love, Amy and Phil._

She smiled at the thoughtful gesture. Both she and Sheldon had decided to invite Amy to the wedding. It just didn't seem right for their entire group of friends to be there, and for Amy to not even be invited. Also, they had heard that she and Phil had gotten quite serious. They were hoping this extension of the olive branch would be the first step at burying the hatchet.

She sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. She knew this would be one of the last few moments of quiet she would get for the rest of the day. Then, it would be a whirlwind. She took a moment to soak in the fact that it was her wedding day.

_It was her wedding day!_

Eileen and Bonnie arrived shortly thereafter and coaxed her into coming down to breakfast with them. They rightly convinced her that she would need energy to make it through the day, and she wouldn't have time for food until the reception.

It was mid-morning when Bernadette arrived to help with the preparations, carrying a shoebox. And so it began…

* * *

Sheldon had in fact asked Leonard to be a witness, and his roommate graciously accepted. In doing so, he also filled the duties that would be traditionally relegated to the Best Man. Leonard walked in the door, just getting back from picking up the groom's tuxedos. That's right. Plural.

Penny had pouted for days when he showed her the design that he wanted to wear for their wedding. It was a perfectly nice style, and even she had admitted it fit with their venue and would complement her dress well. But, she had begged him to go with a traditional tux. She had insisted that while he looked very dashing in his suits, she really wanted to see debonair Dr. Cooper in a black tuxedo again. And so, they had compromised. For the ceremony, he would wear Penny's beloved penguin suit, complete with cummerbund and bowtie. Then, for the reception, he would change into his preferred look: gray tuxedo with subtle pinstripes and a simple shirt and tie underneath. It was more casual, but he still looked devastatingly handsome, if he did say so himself. And he did. And so would she.

His morning was relatively calm. His mind often drifted to Penny. What was she doing now? Was she in her dress yet? Was she under stress? Was she on her way? They had agreed not to see each other before the wedding per tradition, and had even agreed no talking on the phone or texting.

He had his two pieces of luggage and messenger bag waiting by the door. He had made sure that he had all the travel plans, photo identification, and travelers' checks in order and ready to go. His mother had called and insisted she come over to help her baby boy get ready, but he had successfully fended her off, asserting that he intended to spend his last few hours as a single man with his friends, and that having his mother around wasn't conducive to that plan. She hadn't been too offended, as she was just happy that her backwards son had real friends and was marrying a real girl. He had promised her that they would have a moment together prior to the wedding.

Leonard draped the two bags on the back of the couch, and told Sheldon he was going back to his room to get ready. Sheldon put one of the bags with his other luggage, and took the other one back to his room. He put each article of clothing on with painstaking precision. Once everything was on, secured, zipped, tied, and buttoned, he shook his arms out, as if trying to loosen his nerves and give himself a mental pep talk.

He emerged from his room to see his roommate in the living room, slipping on his shoes. He looked casual, but nice, and considering the venue, appropriate. He wore a pair of gray slacks and a nice black shirt underneath a gray button-up vest. He had a silver tie hanging around his neck, but not yet tied.

"Looking sharp, buddy," Leonard looked up as he finished with his tie.

"And you look like a very adequate witness," Sheldon returned.

"Thanks?"

"How long before we need to leave?"

Leonard looked at his watch. "I'd say about 45 minutes or so. Why? Getting nervous?" He grinned.

The groom scoffed. "Hardly. I was just seeing if we had time for one more game as a couple of bachelors." He reached down and held up a gaming controller and nodded his head suggestively.

* * *

They were deep into their game of Mortal Kombat when Howard Wolowitz walked through the door, looking as dapper as well, Howard Wolowitz could. "Hey, Sheldon! Ready to join the exclusive 'happily married' club?"

"Oooh!" he looked up. "Do I get a membership card? I _do_ love membership cards."

The engineer looked down at the couch and furrowed his brow. He couldn't believe, and yet he could, that this genius still couldn't pick up on his jesting. "No, no membership card."

"Drat!"

Howard held out a box. "I do have a gift from your lovely bride, though."

Sheldon was not surprised by the gift. Penny had asked him to read one of her wedding books, so that he understood customs and traditions. She had even highlighted certain excerpts and made notes in the margins, so that he knew which rituals she would like to observe and which didn't mean so much to her.

From the book, he had learned that exchanging gifts between the bride and groom on the day of the wedding was considered customary. Usually the gifts were nothing extravagant. Just something with meaning and thought behind them. Last night, he had given his gift to Wolowitz to have Bernadette give to Penny. She had apparently done the same, only in reverse course.

He unwrapped the small gift. On top of the box was a small tag that simply read, "For my husband." He opened the box, and was surprised and pleased to see a very unique set of cuff links sitting inside. They were silver-plated and in the shape of the Starfleet emblem. They were not gaudy or tacky; they actually seemed quite tasteful.

He showed them off to the guys, and then Leonard helped put them on. After making sure the cuff links were on, he reached up and straightened Sheldon's bowtie. "You got yourself a good one, Sheldon Cooper."

"Indeed I do."

"Ready to go?" his roommate asked as he grabbed Sheldon's messenger bag and tuxedo.

"Where's Rajesh?" his blue eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Oh, he's waiting outside with your present."

"Yeah, it's a surprise. Let's go," Howard encouraged, as he grabbed the handle to one of the suitcases.

Sheldon grabbed the other, looked around the apartment to see if he had forgotten anything, which he knew he hadn't, turned the light off, and closed the door behind him.

They made it to the lobby and Howard and Leonard were grinning, unable to contain their excitement.

The shorter physicist spoke. "The guys and I wanted to do something really special for you."

As they stepped out into the California sun, Sheldon was speechless. He wasn't sure anything could ever make up for the debacle in the Arctic. This came pretty close.

Raj, too was smiling from ear to ear. "Check out your sweet ride!" He motioned to the large vehicle next to him.

Sheldon feasted his eyes on an old-fashioned trolley car. "What is this?" he asked slowly.

"Well, I found this place in Santa Ana that rents out these trolleys for events," the Indian boy said. "We all decided to go in on it for you. Pretty sweet, huh?"

"I get to ride to my wedding in a trolley?" His face was twitching and his bottom lip trembling.

"Well, yeah," Howard answered. "We were actually hoping to hitch a ride with you."

"This is…" he trailed off. He was having trouble articulating his gratitude.

"We know," Leonard said gently.

The groom-to-be sweetly and quickly hugged each of the guys in his own standoffish way, and they knew he was thrilled with their surprise.

"And," Raj continued, "you and Penny can have some wedding pictures taken on it…and in it!"

"Magnificent."

They got the trolley loaded up with Sheldon's luggage, took a seat, and moved leisurely down Los Robles. They couldn't wipe the smile off his face if they tried.

* * *

The dress was on, and Penny's hair and makeup was complete.

She opened the shoebox Bernadette had brought to find an adorable pair of white flip flops inside. Relaxed and informal was exactly what she was going for. Penny had actually bought the plain jane sandals for a couple of bucks. Then, Bernadette had offered to jazz them up for her.

The sandals were still casual, but they had been bedazzled in sparkle and rhinestones. Her friend did a nice job.

Her mother and sister had returned to their hotel rooms to get ready for the ceremony. Bernadette's squeaky voice reverberated inside Penny's room.

"I almost forgot!" she reached inside her purse and pulled out a medium sized box. "A gift from your betrothed."

"Neat!" Penny opened the gift excitedly. Inside the box was a red Penny Blossom, and a folded up letter. She smiled, seeing that it was hand-written, not typed as she would expect.

_I know it's not much, but it's everything._

_When we were working together on your Penny Blossoms business, I began to care very deeply for you. Perhaps not in a romantic way, but a pre-amble to a romantic way. You placed this Penny Blossom in your hair to show me your prototype. You then removed the barrette from your hair and went on with your day._

_I took possession of the Penny Blossom, and you clearly didn't notice. I intended to have it for strictly research purposes, so that I could analyze the hair accessory so to maximize your manufacturing and marketing options. I waited for you to notice that it was missing, but you never did. And I never gave it back._

_Eventually, that little hair clip became so much more to me. I kept it in a special box in my room. Whenever I felt particularly frustrated or troubled, I would open the box and look at that little flower and let the calm wash over me. Sometimes, I would hold it in my hand and the world just melted away. Just the way it twinkled in a certain light…it reminded me of the light I had in my life. You._

_I had the Penny Blossom with me when I broke it off with Amy. I took the Penny Blossom when I returned home to Texas. This Penny Blossom was in my pocket the day I proposed._

_But, I don't need it anymore. The piece itself was merely symbolic. I came to realize it was a reminder to me of your presence in my life, even during the times your presence was not as regular as I preferred. I don't need this to feel your presence any longer. I already feel your presence, each morning when I open my eyes and each evening when I go to sleep. I already feel your presence because you are deep inside of me. You are as much a piece of me as my bones, my lungs, my heart._

_I offer this to you to show you that I don't need an object, because I take you with me, in my heart, wherever I go. And I shall for the rest of our days._

_Love, Sheldon_

* * *

Penny sat, looking out the car, as they drove through the hills of Malibu. They had found the perfect venue, for everything they wanted: Pepperdine University. It was a little bit of a jaunt from Pasadena. But, considering half the trip was along the Pacific Coast Highway, the view was completely worth it.

Pepperdine was one of the most beautiful universities in the world. It sat along a bluff and had enchanting views of the Pacific Ocean. It was also a Christian university, and had a gorgeous chapel on campus. Stauffer Chapel actually faced the ocean. From the inside, there was incomparable stained glass, and when the sunlight hit it just so, she felt like they could have been in Tuscany.

They would get married in, for all intents and purposes, a church, and be able to feel the ocean breeze and smell the salt in the air. It was truly the best of both worlds.

Their reception would be held at Alumni Park, just down the way from the university. It was a huge open field used for many intramural sporting events, and the view was spectacular. Alumni Park was typically not used for such functions, but Dr. Cooper had some colleagues at Pepperdine whom he hadn't insulted before they left Caltech, and they were able to pull some strings. There was no actual building for them to hold the reception, so they had visited a rental company, where they rented a dance floor, tents, tables, chairs, and the whole nine yards to turn the plain field into a paradise.

* * *

Sheldon was standing at the front of the chapel, alone with the minister. He was adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, nervously touching every part of his outfit, just to keep himself busy.

They had decided to do something rather nontraditional. Their guests had been instructed to wait outside. There was an amphitheater directly in front of the chapel. Their guests would wait to see Penny approach for the first time. Then, the guests would file inside, and the ceremony would begin.

He heard a collective gasp from the exterior of the chapel and knew Penny had arrived. He closed his eyes, shifted back and forth, and prayed.

* * *

Most of the eyes were taking in the stunning ocean vista. Little by little, the guests heard rustling, and they began to whisper amongst themselves that she must be close.

Then, with the sun shining above, Penny emerged from a path that ran between the amphitheater and the chapel. At first, they could only see her head and radiant smile, as there were beautiful gardens blocking their view.

Then, she materialized from behind the flowers, appearing to float on air. Her dress wafted in the gentle wind. Her makeup was minimal. And, her hair reflected her overall look. She had worn her hair down, natural soft curls pinned back so to not fall in her face. On one side sat a red Penny Blossom.

The people began to head inside. The last people inside was her mom, who whispered words of love and encouragement to her before disappearing through the chapel doors; and three gawky guys that she had befriended many years ago. She gathered them into a group hug. Her eyes were shimmering.

"He's definitely in there, right?" she asked.

"Well, I'm sure _he_ is, but considering we left him alone with the minister, _Reverend Cooley_ may not be in there when we get back," Howard joked.

"Good thing Raj and I are ordained ministers then, huh?" her once boyfriend offered.

Raj hadn't had a drink yet that day, so he was only able to smile and throw his arms around her once more in a tight embrace. He pressed his hands together, forming the shape of a heart.

"I love you too, sweetie," she smiled at him. "I love you all."

* * *

He saw his best friends in the world make their way to their seats, and the chapel doors were closed behind them.

Sweet music played throughout the chapel. The couple had insisted that their friends not be involved in the wedding, because they wanted them to just be able to come and experience the day without any added expectations.

Leonard wouldn't take no for an answer, but respected their decision. So, he had found a loophole. He picked some common wedding music and recorded a disc of himself playing his cello. Penny had cried when he gave it to them.

Even though it was a recording, Sheldon had to admit the cello music sounded flawless as it echoed throughout the small space.

He took a brief moment to scan the crowd. He saw familiar faces watching him and occasionally looking back toward the doorway.

The music stopped and the doors opened. The sunlight shone in, and he could only make out the outline of Penny's beautiful figure. As she stepped forward out of the light, a lump formed in Sheldon's throat and he was a hit with a rush of emotion like he had never felt before.

* * *

Penny stepped through the double-doors of the chapel and made her way through the small foyer to stand beneath the doorway of a second set of doors. All eyes were on her. And her eyes were firmly focused on a set of eyes, that even from across the room, she could tell sparkled a brilliant blue.

She gripped her bouquet- a gathering of orange lilies, sunflowers, red Gerber daisies, and other autumn wildflowers- tightly. She felt herself shaking and worried that she would lose her grasp on them.

The music started up again, this time a triumphant tune. Her father stepped from behind her, offered his arm, and they made their way down the aisle. She wanted to smile at all her guests and acknowledge their much appreciated presence, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from her physicist at the end of the aisle. How many people were in the chapel? Twenty? Two hundred? As far as she was concerned, there were only two. Everything, and everyone else faded away.

Once they made it to the end of the walkway, her father kissed her cheek and took her flowers and then Penny took Sheldon's hands in her own.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"Her mother and I do," Wyatt said loudly. He stepped back to the pew to stand next to his wife. He handed Eileen the flowers and placed a kiss against her cheek.

Reverend Cooley said some very beautiful words about marriage and relationships and love, as Sheldon and Penny were completely transfixed upon each other.

"Before we get to the vows, the couple has selected a short passage to be read." There were only two people, other than her father, that they had asked to be a part of the ceremony. They went to take a seat in the front pew. "The reading today will be presented by Mister George Cooper and Miss Amy Farrah Fowler."

Both people stepped up to the podium and spoke into the microphone. George went first.

" 'What is Real?' asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. 'Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?'"

Amy continued: " 'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but _really_ loves you, then you become Real.'"

" 'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit."

" 'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'"

" 'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'"

" 'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand,'" Amy finished.

Penny wiped away the thick droplets trailing down her cheeks and Sheldon squeezed her hand. They stood once more to make their way back to stand in front of the presider.

"Penny, Sheldon, repeat after me." The kind minister guided them through their vows.

"I, Penelope Renee Jefferson, take thee Sheldon Lee, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward as long as we both shall live." Penny had a couple little surprises for Sheldon up her sleeve, something they hadn't practiced during rehearsal. She added, "Taluhk nash-veh k'dular."

In Penny's mind, the phrase "Taluhk nash-veh k'dular" was incredibly romantic. It was the closest that an unemotional Vulcan came to expressing love. It translated to, "I cherish thee."

At her postscript to the vows, Sheldon's eyes widened and became filled with the tears that he had been holding back all day. He let the tears drip down his face.

They continued, but he choked up as he attempted to speak. He took a moment to compose himself.

"I, Sheldon Lee Cooper, take thee Penelope Renee, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward as long as we both shall live." He simply mouthed "I love you" to Penny.

"Do we have the rings?" Reverend Cooley asked.

Bernadette and Leonard marched to the front and gave the rings to the respective parties.

Sheldon took Penny's hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity. With this ring, I thee wed."

She repeated the motion, and she felt pride well up inside of her to see a ring on Sheldon Cooper's left hand. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity. With this ring, I thee wed."

"So, by the power vested in me and the state of California…"

"And the Klingon high council!" Leonard, Howard, Raj, and surprisingly, Bernadette shouted playfully from their side of the chapel.

"Ah, yes, and the Klingon high council, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your union with a kiss."

Here came the second of Penny's good-humored surprises. Sheldon looked down at her, waiting for her to take the lead. Her eyes glittered and she smirked. He looked down to see her holding her index and middle finger out to him, for a Vulcan kiss and raised an eyebrow at her.

Their closest friends saw what was happening and played along, hooting and hollering. After all on Vulcan, such a show of affection was considered to be very intimate. They started whistling and clapping, and soon enough, the rest of the congregation joined in.

Sheldon's eyes softened, as he raised his hand and joined his two fingers against her own. At this, the crowd went wild, even those who didn't understand exactly what it meant.

Penny then grabbed his hand and dragged him down the aisle. Once outside, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a proper kiss, full on the mouth. Despite no measurable upper body strength, he pulled her to him, lifting her a couple of inches off the ground.

"Husband!" she screeched excitedly.

* * *

As people came outside, the (very) newlyweds made their way back inside to pay the minister and sign the wedding certificate with Bernadette and Leonard.

They waited until the chapel cleared, then made their way outside, grinning and waving. Well, Penny was grinning and waving at least. Sheldon was shaking his head, amused. Their guests were gathered and started to cheer and toss environmentally-friendly rice toward the couple.

The photographer then gathered them and their families to take some pictures inside the chapel and in other locations around the area. They were also going to get pictures taken with their friends, but agreed to wait until the reception, where they would have the beautiful ocean backdrop to work with.

* * *

After nearly an hour of having their pictures taken in nearly every spot and every pose imaginable, just the two of them rode their little trolley down to the park. It was less than a mile from the chapel itself, so it would be a short ride.

It did give Sheldon enough time to change into his gray tux, and Penny had to admit that it looked very good on him. She also admitted that she still preferred the James Bond look.

"So…we're married huh?" she smiled.

"I believe we are."

"You're my husband."

Normally, such statements of the obvious would irk Sheldon, but he simply responded kindly. "And you are my wife."

"Wife!" she squealed again. "I'm your wife. Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Cooper," she sighed dreamily.

"_Dr_. and Mrs. Sheldon Cooper," he corrected.

She retaliated by sticking her tongue out at him.

"Such maturity on your wedding day, I should have expected nothing less."

She fluffed the skirt on her gown. "So what do you think of my dress?"

"Lovely." He leaned down and talked into her ear so that the trolley driver couldn't hear. "It will look even better on the floor next to our bed."

* * *

The reception was a smash hit. The food was served family-style on each of the tables. The guests were informed that if they ran out or wanted anything else, there was plenty more. And, there was.

They skipped all the typical traditions. No speeches or anything like that. Just eating and dancing and having a good time. This was a party, not a social obligation.

The teens from her show were cutting a rug out on the dance floor, and many of their older visitors joined in, relishing in the chance to feel young again, even if they didn't know many of the songs.

Penny couldn't help but participate in one tradition, though with a twist. She approached Missy who had just gotten off the dance floor and looked flushed.

"Having a good time?"

"Definitely!" She pointed behind her. "But, I don't know who is going to have to carry MeeMaw back to the hotel."

"Good question."

"My poor baby brother. I swear, every lady under this tent has wanted to get a dance in with him. Including me!"

"He _is_ a handsome fella. I will make sure he spares a dance for you. And your mother. And MeeMaw."

"Thanks!"

"Oh, hey Missy?"

"Yeah?"

Penny took her bouquet and tossed it the short couple of feet to Missy, who caught it, then looked at the bride with an inquisitive look.

"Oh look, you caught the bouquet," Penny departed with a wink.

She was blown away when she delicately placed a piece of cake in Sheldon's mouth and he smashed his slice completely into her face. She allowed him to take care of the mess with both a napkin and his mouth. There were several catcalls from that incident.

As the evening started to come to a close, they were swaying on the dance floor to a nice ballad. Penny looked around her. Unfortunately, Howard and Bernadette had to leave earlier to get home to baby Toby. Amy was a few feet away, sweetly resting her head on Phil's broad shoulders. Missy and Raj were dancing, talking animatedly with each other. Skeeter had regrettably been unable to come due to a business meeting. Even MeeMaw's eyes lit up as she looked up into George Jr's face, as they moved to the music. Mary was standing by the bar, seemingly having a pleasant conversation with Reverend Cooley and his wife.

Penny was especially touched when she looked over and saw Beverly Hofstadter, who Sheldon had begged her to invite, dancing with her son, having what appeared to be a genuine conversation.

She held back her excitement when she saw Rebekah and her nephew Gavin shyly dancing the night away. Bonnie and Ryan were also taking advantage of the slow song, even though her sister spent most of it giggling as she watched Gavin. She was briefly saddened at the lack of her brother's presence. Her parents were sitting at their table watching all the festivities around them sleepily.

Sheldon leaned down to whisper in Penny's ear. "I think it's time to go now."

* * *

_* Excerpt was from **The Velveteen Rabbit**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**I do not own TBBT. Grrr about that.**_

_**This is a very M chapter, so please be forewarned. **_

_**By the way, phew! This was a very intense chapter to write. Hopefully, it is worth it for you guys. **_

* * *

They were both settled into their seats in the first row in coach of the last flight of the day from LAX to sunny Orlando, Florida.

They had received numerous odd looks from friends and co-workers alike to find out that of all the places in the country, in the world really, they had chosen to go, Orlando was their top pick.

It was true. Orlando was not exactly the most romantic place. Not when they could be soaking in the rays in Hawaii or walking the cobblestone streets in Rome. But, Orlando was perfect for them. Of their two weeks, they had agreed that six days would be activity days and the rest would be, er, hotel room days.

They both loved Disney, and as much as they liked Disneyland, Walt Disney World had different adventures to offer them. Sheldon especially couldn't wait to check out Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios, as it had attractions featuring some of his favorite characters: Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, and Dr. Doom. They both deeply enjoyed the beloved tales of J.K. Rowling, and planned to devote an entire day exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Add in a trip to Sea World or Discovery Cove, and you've got yourself a pretty great vacation. And, when would they ever get another chance, they reasoned, to explore all these places at their own leisure, without having kids to take care of?

They had found a great deal at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort. They would be staying on the Dolphin side. The resort itself was not officially affiliated with the Disney World resort, but it was on the same property, and offered many of the same amenities as the Disney resorts. In fact, in their minds, it was even better, as it seemed to have a much more upscale feel to it, less themed than the other places they were looking. Plus, the Swan and Dolphin had several highly rated fine dining establishments to choose from. Also, they were within walking distance of two of the parks they planned to check out. That convenience in and of itself would save them who knows how much time in commuting, time that could be better spent doing…other things.

So, here they were, on a red-eye flight to Orlando. Sheldon had changed out of his tuxedo, so that Leonard could return it to the men's store from which he had rented it. Penny was still in her dress; thankfully, because of its lack of poof, she was able to fit in the seat with little trouble at all. Because her dress remained on, Sheldon had felt it gentlemanly to put on a pair of slacks and a buttoned-up shirt, just so she wouldn't feel too out of place.

Still, a beautiful woman in all white is hard to miss, and they were noticed frequently. Going through security, now_ that_ had been an interesting experience. The security crew had been arguing amongst themselves the propriety of looking beneath a female's dress versus the likelihood that someone could smuggle all sorts of items beneath such a skirt.

As they sat in their seats, they received lots of nice comments from passengers and staff members, congratulating them. Some comments were less nice and more suggestive. Before taking off, Penny had excused herself to the restroom, and the gentleman across the aisle from them patted him solidly on the back, and gave a hearty, "Long flight ahead of 'ya, but try to keep it in your pants, buddy."

* * *

It had been a long day, so much of their six hour flight, including a plane change in Houston, was spent sleeping.

Penny opened her eyes. She knew that red-eye flights were not preferred, but she couldn't deny that the quiet in the cabin was kind of nice. Her husband's head was resting on her shoulder as he slumbered. She let her eyelids fall, as she decided to rest her eyes just for a little bit.

After a few minutes, she felt him stir. Then, she felt his nose nuzzle into her neck, with his lips not far behind. Her eyes shot open, as she waited for him to stop, but he just continued. She discreetly looked around, slightly embarrassed.

"Sheldon, stop. Sheldon!" she whispered to him. She assumed him to be awake.

But, he didn't stop. He continued to nestle against her neck, kissing her every so often. "Sheldon, stop it! We're on a plane," she warned him. It was then she realized that he wasn't even awake. He was asleep, and in his sleep, he was having himself a good ol' time.

She shook him lightly, and this woke him only slightly, as now, in addition to the kissing, he was mumbling sweetly into her ear. "Penny…love you..." He let out a contented sigh.

"Sheldon, dear, wake up," she shook him harder, continuing to look around desperately. At that point, his hand came up and cupped her breast gently.

"SHELDON!" she yelped loudly, certainly waking some of the passengers around them.

He straightened quickly. "Danger! Danger!" and started rubbing his eyes. "Penny, what in the world?"

"You were molesting me in my sleep, my husband," she admonished.

"Oh, good Lord," he blushed fiercely.

She spoke to him quietly. "It wasn't _un_enjoyable. It's just not the right time and place for it. When we go to change planes in Houston, they may not let us back on."

He was indignant. "And what's wrong with that? I, for one, think Houston is a fine town."

"Of course you do," she patted his knee.

He pulled out his Game Boy and she watched him play classic Tetris for a while. She even convinced him to give her a couple of turns.

She unbuckled her safety belt and stood. "I am going to use the bathroom." She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

"Lavatory," he corrected.

"Lavatory," she repeated in a sarcastic tone. She saw that the one up front was occupied, so she disappeared toward the back.

Sheldon looked behind him and watched her admiringly. A perky voice interrupted his thoughts. "Don't even think about it mister," the flight attendant was looking down at him. "There is no mile-high club on this airplane." Her voice was joking, but firm.

The sweet, naïve physicist looked up in confusion. "What is this mile-high club, and is there a membership card?"

* * *

Between the six hour flight and the time change, the couple didn't arrive to their hotel until well after 5 am, Orlando time. Their wedding night had come and gone; it was already "the morning after," and they had been running on fumes for hours. Once they reached their room, they collapsed onto the bed, both absolutely exhausted.

Sheldon woke, hours later, and rolled over, intent to snuggle up to his beloved. When he felt no form on the bed, he opened his eyes. He looked around the room groggily. "Penny?"

"Hey sleepy head," she smiled from the table sitting in the corner of the room. There were two covered silver trays sitting on the table. "I took the liberty of ordering us some room service."

He stood up and stretched. In the middle of the night, or morning rather, he had unbuttoned his shirt. Or had _she_? His hair was mussed. Penny mused that he actually looked like a real boy. Or a very sexy man.

"Did the room service attendant seem clean and competent?"

"Of course."

"When you called, were they able to answer your questions to your satisfaction?"

"Yes, they seemed competent too, Sheldon."

"Did you order something that has the potential for causing digestive distress, thus ruining the next 13 days of our vacation?" He sat at the table across from her.

She rolled her eyes, but proudly removed the covers from the trays. "See for yourself."

Sitting in front of them were two large plates of spaghetti with little cut up hot dogs mixed in. Sheldon's eyes lit up. "Their room service offers spaghetti and hot dogs?!"

"Of course they don't offer spaghetti and hot dogs! They _do_ offer regular spaghetti though, and hot dogs were on the kiddie menu. It took some niggling, but finally they agreed to make it special, just for us. Your wife can be very persuasive sometimes, you know."

"Yes, I do." He smiled as he dug into his spaghetti. He took in the sight before him, her still in her wedding dress, slurping up spaghetti like it was just any other day. Leonard was right. He had gotten himself a good one indeed.

They talked over their meal about the events of the day before. They were pleasantly surprised that so many people were able to make it. The weather had been the ideal of Southern California. They giggled at the memory of their families drinking and dancing and carrying on.

"I think my dad is ready to leave my mother for your mom over that fried chicken," she joked. "He was in fried food heaven."

"Penny, I would marry my own mother for that fried chicken."

"I'm not even offended."

"It's too bad we and our families all live so far apart. It was a nice time," he reflected.

"Well, my brother is single. I don't know where, or should I say what jail he's in now, but he's single. And, Missy's not married yet. Maybe we could get them together, and it will give us a chance for another Jefferson-Cooper hoedown."

"You want my strong, independent sister to marry your meth head brother?" he eyed her.

"That's a no. Right?"

He shook his head at her, as he finished up his plate.

"Honey, why don't you jump in the shower, and then when you're done I'll get changed out of this dress?" she cooed.

"Okay," he agreed. "Where are we going?"

"Nowhere."

"Then why…"

She held his gaze, waiting for the gears to click into place. When they finally did, she smirked.

"Oh! Yes, well, I will get right on that," he jumped up and walked briskly to the bathroom.

* * *

While waiting, Penny cleared up their plates and placed them in the hallway. Before she shut the door, she bit her lip as she placed the "Do not Disturb" sign on the door handle. She drew the curtains. She knew she wouldn't be able to completely block out the bright sunshine, but she wanted it to be slightly darker, more romantic. She rummaged through her luggage and found her Gabriella lingerie.

Truthfully, she was just trying to keep herself busy, because she knew that if she just sat there, the nerves would creep up inside of her. Keeping busy kept her mind off what was about to happen.

She was a big ol' five after all, so she was sure Sheldon expected her to know what she was doing and take the lead. She felt even_ more_ pressure knowing that not only was it their first time together, but it was also his first time at all. The anxiety was getting to be too much.

She heard the shower water turn off, and the butterflies began to swarm inside her stomach. She smoothed out the bed and sprayed perfume into the air.

A set of knocks then a voice came from inside the bathroom.

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

_Knock Knock Knock_

"Penny."

"Yes, Sheldon?"

"What should I wear?"

"I don't know! That's really up to you."

"There is a robe in here, but I'm worried it will make me feel like some sort of playboy."

"Oh geez."

"Would it be acceptable to you if I were to just wear a towel?"

"Um," she squeaked out at the mental image.

"It seems rather unwise to put on clothing just to have it removed again, correct?"

"Sure, unwise!"

"Do you prefer the robe?"

"Just put on the towel!"

She listened, and only heard him rustling around inside the bathroom.

Minutes later, Sheldon emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist, his pasty but firm chest exposed to her.

"It's all yours," he announced.

She made her way toward the bathroom, and stopped to see him sitting on the bed, setting the alarm.

"What are you doing?" she furrowed her brows.

"I'm going to take a little nap. I'm sure this will be a while."

"This won't be a while!" she retorted.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought as my husband, it was my job to tease you about how much time you take in the bathroom."

She flipped him the bird, as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Charming."

* * *

Penny entered the bathroom and it was warm with steam, the scent of his aftershave pronounced in the air.

She spent several minutes scrubbing her teeth, knowing that the spaghetti was loaded with garlic.

She clipped her hair up loosely, and removed her dress and undergarments. She slipped on her nightie, and smiled in the mirror. She looked positively virginal.

* * *

He knew that the filthiest place in a hotel room was the remote control. He looked around the room, and while it looked well kept and clean, even to his standards, he still couldn't stand the thought of using the remote.

So, before they had left, he bought a universal remote, not wanting to use one of the ones from home, in case it was lost. So, while waiting for Penny, he decided to get the remote programmed to the television, something he could do blindfolded.

While he and Penny enjoyed a physical relationship together, there had been a number of times one or both of them had to peel themselves away breathless, so that things did not get carried away. Their desire for each other was ever present in their chaste relationship.

It was hard for him to imagine that all that waiting and build-up was over. It had all led up to this. All those times he wanted more, begged for more, but now that the moment is upon them, now that the moment is real, all he felt was dread.

He cursed himself at the lack of romance in the room. There should be flowers. And candles. And music. It was a beautiful room, but a generic hotel room nonetheless. He swore to himself that once they got back to Pasadena, he would arrange an evening so thick with romantic gestures that she won't want to crawl out of bed for days.

He was mentally preparing the night in Pasadena in his head, when a noise interrupted his thoughts. The door to the bathroom opened and Penny emerged, glowing. She was a vision in white. Like her wedding gown, the fabric she was dressed in was soft and flowy.

His spitfire girlfriend…er, wife looked almost bashful. She struggled to maintain eye contact with him, and muttered a shy "Hey."

"Hey."

"So?"

"Penny, come sit with me," he requested, his voice laced with compassion, as he patted the bed.

She crawled up into the bed, but maintained a safe distance between them.

"What's wrong?"

"Just nervous."

"Nervous, you? Why?"

"It's a big moment, Sheldon. I feel like it's not happening naturally. Like it 'just happens.' It feels forced. Like we are making a moment happen."

"Do you wish to wait until it 'just happens'?" he air quoted, but his voice was earnest.

"No," she assured him. "I want to be with you. Can we just…let things happen at their own pace? If we get there, we get there?"

"I intend to always honor your wishes. If you want to take a break, we'll take a break. If you want to stop, we'll stop. If you want me to kiss you, I'll kiss you."

"Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to kiss me."

"I'm happy to accommodate."

They lay in bed, kissing each other sweetly for a long while. Her hands held onto his waist loosely, as his hands were tracing her face with a feather-light touch.

She pulled away and nestled into his body. He secured his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you," she responded sleepily.

* * *

A sharp noise woke them. Penny immediately noticed that darkness had settled into the room. The clock said 9 pm.

"What was that?" she asked.

Sheldon protectively placed her behind him, so to protect her from whatever demon could be haunting the 12th floor of their building.

Another noise popped from the outside, and Penny saw that lights came along with it. They made their way over to the door to their balcony and peeked through the curtain. He did so as well.

They both saw tell-tale sparks in the sky. Fireworks.

She laughed. "Just fireworks. It's been a while since I've seen those."

"Me too."

"They're pretty."

"Yes, they are."

Penny looked up at him, searching his face. "Sheldon?"

"Hmmm?" He looked down at her, and in her eyes was a combination of the reflection of the lights in the sky and pure devotion.

He tentatively leaned down and brushed his lips against hers softly. It was barely a whisper of a touch. Penny kissed him back more firmly. And then, it was if a burst of passion had been ignited within her. She was kissing, licking his lips, his mouth, his teeth, his tongue. She couldn't get enough. She wanted to taste every part of him.

He held onto her, and walked her slowly toward the bed. He pulled back the covers, and unfastened the towel that was only just hanging onto his waist, letting it fall to the floor.

She sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled him down on top of her, allowing her fingers to massage his neck and ears and run through his scalp.

After a bit, she sat up, then scooted over to the other side of the bed, to let him in. She sat on her knees, and bit her lower lip, letting only a slight giggle escape.

"Penny," he breathed, voice thick with longing. They flung themselves at each other, kissing each other with renewed zeal. Sheldon's hands were everywhere. He wanted to touch every part of her all at the same time.

He began to kiss along her jaw, down her neck. When he got to the crook of her neck, he gave her skin a light nibble, and the excitement from her voice turned the light nibble into a very deep love bite. He gave attention to the other side of her neck, as she rubbed her hands up and down his back, gasping from time to time.

Sheldon pulled away and took his lean fingers, reached up to the spaghetti strap of her ensemble, which was hanging loosely against her body, and tugged it down, so that he could kiss all along her shoulder.

Penny felt her body responding to his movements. She felt herself clinch and knew that if she were to reach her hand down between her legs, she would probably find herself dripping with desire for her husband. As he kissed her shoulders, she reached down and grabbed his manhood. It was more than ready, but she wanted to give it some attention too. When she placed her hand around its girth, Sheldon stopped cold.

"It's okay," she whispered.

He felt perfect in her hands. He seemed proportional to his height, and she knew that he had more than enough to satisfy her. She teased him lightly at first, getting him used to the idea. She didn't want to go too far, lest he ejaculate to early, ala Raj. She certainly didn't want him to be embarrassed. She tightened her grip, and gave his penis a few good firm strokes up and down, until she heard him grunting against her shoulder.

They broke apart and stared at each other. His eyes were focused squarely on the sheer fabric of her lingerie. He reached out and gently held onto the material.

"This really is a beautiful piece," he admired.

"Take it off _now_, Sheldon," she panted impatiently.

"Oh thank God," he let out as he tugged it over her head, throwing it to the ground. They fell back to mattress, kissing with fervor, his hands massaging her breasts expertly. Sheldon pulled back, his lips clearly swollen.

"Honey, if your tongue goes any further down my throat, I'll think you'll hit the uvula," she teased.

"The what?"

"Uvula."

"The what?" He grinned.

She used her sexiest voice ever. "U-vu-la."

She caught her breath as he dove back toward her. He kissed her lips down to her chin, then further down, until he reached her generous bosom. She ran her hands through his hair gently, as he allowed his lips and tongue to caress every inch of each breast. He closed his lips around each nipple, coaxing them to come to life.

Penny almost couldn't stand how tender they were. Her hands found the bed, and with each sucking motion, her hands clenched into the bed. As her breasts were being worked over by Dr. Sheldon Cooper's seductive lips, she felt his hand trail across her stomach. His fingers cautiously pushed themselves under her lace panties. He gave her most sensitive part a slight rub, before pushing a finger inside of her.

"Oh!" she gasped.

He removed his hand, and slid the panties down off of her, tossing it to the side. "Just wanted to make sure you were ready," he said kindly.

She sat up slightly. "Honey, are_ you_ ready?"

He looked down. "Um, I believe I am more than ready," he indicated.

"I meant here," she pointed to his head, "and here," she pointed to his chest.

He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. "Penny, you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever known. Inside and out. It is my joy that you are the first and only woman I will ever make love to. And my privilege to be the last man you will ever make love to. Trust me, I'm ready."

Penny's eyes filled with tears and her heart filled with happiness. And, as if it was even possible, she became even more aroused.

"Okay, then. Lay back, sweetie." He followed her command.

She placed a knee on each side of his body, straddling his mid-section. She leaned down and kissed him tenderly. The sensation of their lips moving together in motion was pure magic.

Slowly, she lowered herself onto him, letting him fill her inch by inch. It had been a long time for her, and she was unusually tight. She sat up and bit her lip, with a slight grimace ghosting her face. When she had finally lowered herself all the way down, she whimpered, almost as if in pain.

"Are you okay?" Sheldon eyes were wide with concern for his wife.

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed. "I just need to get used to you, that's all. How do_ you_ feel?"

He was momentarily speechless. "Complete," he choked out. He was rewarded with a smile.

* * *

"Okay, baby, here we go," she advised.

She began to rock against him. Her hips pushed back and forth into his. Initially, he just laid there, with no response. Then, he began to move his hips in time with hers. Penny's rhythm progressed from gentle and steady and became more frenetic. She bounced up and down, feeling his shaft sliding in motion within her. She looked down and Sheldon's eyes were shut, his teeth digging into his supple lower lip. She slowed down and ground her body against his in very deliberate movements. He let out a deep breath, a sigh he had been holding back, and a shot of arousal pulsed inside her body.

She began to breathe hard and slow down. She was exhausted, but kept going. Her husband, though, could sense her fatigue, and sat up, clinging to her body. Then, he gently placed her on the bed.

Sheldon was filled with so much love, seeing Penny lying beneath him, glistening in sweat. She was working so hard to make him happy, to make his first time special. Her naked body was a work of art.

He noticed that her legs instinctually spread open, as if waiting for him. He braced himself and pushed inside her. He began to pump inside her. He knew that he was very, very close, but he wanted to make sure she was satisfied too.

"Are you close?" he asked.

"Yes," she huffed. "I'm going to come. Very soon."

Her legs wrapped around his body, spreading her open further, and he continued to thrust in and out. Harder and faster. He could hear her slick juices reacting to his penis. Without realizing it was happening, he began to grunt with each push. He placed his hands against the backboard, to give himself traction, as he slammed into her more feverishly.

She let out a soft scream, but Sheldon could feel that it wasn't over. He felt her body tightening around him, her pelvic muscled holding on for dear life. "OH! God, SHELDON!" Her voice became more insistent, and he could hear her moaning and gasping as she writhed underneath him.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHH," she let out. He felt her body shudder underneath him and her muscles tighten and release.

He continued to push, and after a couple more thrusts, he too found himself in the throes of ecstasy, his warm seed spilling inside of her. He briefly lost his balance and slammed his hand hard into the wall behind the backboard so to catch himself.

"Sheldon!"

"Sorry!" he yelled loudly through the wall to whoever may or may not be on the other side.

He collapsed onto the bed beside her, her legs still wrapped around him. After they had both caught their breath, she spoke. "Well?"

"So worth it," he smiled, staring straight ahead.

"Sheldon?"

"Mmmm?"

"Turn over."

"What?"

"We're gonna keep going."

"What!?" he seemed scandalized. "Penny, I don't know if I can…"

"That's why you are going to turn over and I'm going to do all the work."

* * *

It was close to midnight, and they were a tangled mess of limbs and sheets and hair and sweat. He slid out of her and rolled onto his back.

"It really is a miracle," Sheldon said.

"What?"

"That society continues to function as it has. I would imagine people would be in bed all day, either making love or recovering from it."

She smiled and laid a hand on his chest. "One day, you'll get tired of making love too, dear."

"Never," he said seriously. He picked up the phone and was about to press down on a button.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm calling guest services."

"Why?"

"To ask them to come replace our bedding for us."

"Hang up the phone!" she hissed. He complied but looked confused.

"What's wrong?"

"You can't ask them to send housekeeping up here to change our sheets at midnight!"

"And why not? The bed will be dirty and sticky. I would not prefer to sleep in bodily fluids."

"Half those bodily fluids came from you, mister!"

"I may evacuate my bowels each morning; doesn't mean I want to lay in it."

She sighed and got up. "And what are you going to say? 'Hello, I'm in room 1290, and we need our sheets changed because I can't sleep with sex juice all over the bed?'"

His face flushed. "Well not that."

She looked in the closet. "Look, here is a spare duvet. Can't we just use this to make do until tomorrow? They will change our bedding then."

"Fine," he conceded.

"Now, my thighs are a little sticky, so I am going to go take a shower."

"Good idea."

She walked into the bathroom and turned on the spray between warm and hot. Although she had brought items from home, for the sake of speed, she grabbed some toiletries off the counter.

When she turned around, Sheldon was getting into the shower. "What are you doing?" she asked, exasperated.

"Well, I'm sticky, too. Would it not be prudent for me to also shower?"

"Fine, I'll wait." She turned to go back to the bed.

"Penny," his voice was husky. "Join me."

Powerless against his brilliant eyes, she stepped into the shower with him. He gingerly washed her body, rubbing soap along her skin. She lathered up shampoo in her hair and his as well. They took turns stepping under the spray to wash the soap out.

Sheldon's eyes drooped as he saw the water falling down Penny's golden skin. In a swift motion, he claimed her lips with his own. They kissed enthusiastically, but they both knew the end result. Penny stepped backwards until she felt the shower wall against her back, and he followed her.

She felt her knees buckle. "Sheldon, I don't think I can," she said as he kissed her neck. "My legs…too weak."

He whispered into her ear, "I'll steady you."

She let out a yelp as he entered her. He didn't know if she felt shielded by the noise of the shower, but she didn't hold back. Each time he pumped into her, she yelled. And she was loud. And it stiffened Sheldon even more.

When they were done, they both collapsed onto the bed soaking wet. Sheldon didn't even notice, or mind, that they were lying on the used up bedding.

* * *

They made love daily. Usually multiple times daily. But, they had their fair share of fun too. Sheldon giggled at the foam from the Butterbeer on Penny's lips at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. She had even managed to get him to hang out by the pool with her at the hotel.

They had a blast at Disney World, too. She had secretly packed his Mickey ears, and she didn't even have to coerce him into wearing them. They went on the Tower of Terror four times in a row, but nothing beat the first time when, out of sheer fright, Sheldon grasped her hand like it was the last thing he wanted to feel before crashing to the earth below.

They had some amazing meals. Southern California had great restaurants, but they were lucky enough to have several premier restaurants all close by. Each night, they could try a new gourmet meal. The nights they made it out of their room, that is.

One day, while Penny was getting some sun by the pool, Sheldon went in search of the laundry area.

He saw a door with a placard on it that said: "Roof Access: Authorized Personnel Only." He looked around for a security camera and did not see one. He was surprised that it was left unlocked, and curiosity won him over. After climbing a few more flights of stairs, he made his way back onto the roof.

It was, well, a roof. It was slightly dirty and rather bare. But, the view was spectacular. Thoughts came flooding inside his head. His ideas for their night in Pasadena may come sooner than he planned.

* * *

Sheldon had found a delivery service that ensured that they could bring him candles, flowers, even wine. He told them the wine was not necessary.

Two days later, after a fun day at one of the water parks, they had a nice meal at The Fountain. They made their way upstairs for a casual evening of television.

Sheldon excused himself from the room under the guise of getting some ice.

When he returned, Penny was in a tank top and shorts, ready to settle in for the evening.

He looked around the room then took a pillow sham off one of the pillows. "Here tie this around your eyes."

She looked at him like he had gone nutty. "No."

"Please. I have a surprise for you."

* * *

Against her better judgment, Penny let Sheldon tie the pillowcase around her eyes and led her out of the room.

She held onto his hand and heard a door open. As she stepped forward, she felt the climate become noticeably colder.

She then felt his large hands on her hips. "This may be quite difficult. I am going to steady you with my hands, so you don't fall. Each time I say 'up,' I need you to take a step up."

It took them two or three steps, but after that they got the hang of it, and after a while, she didn't even need his help anymore. She was practically jogging up the stairs, even blindfolded.

Eventually, she felt him remove the piece of satin from her face. She was standing beside a door that said, "Roof Access: Authorized Personnel Only." She eyed him deviously. "Sheldon Cooper, you little rebel."

He held the door open for her and she stepped outside. "Wow, look at the view!" she gasped. Lights were twinkling from every direction. She could see the Tower of Terror in the distance, and to her other side, Epcot's Spaceship Earth seemed very close.

"That's not the surprise," he took her hand and guided her a few feet. There in the corner was a pallet of comforters and sheets, surrounded by hundreds of red roses and beautifully lit candles.

"Oh Sheldon!" she held her hand to her heart.

"Milady, may I have this dance?"

"There's no music?"

He immediately pulled out his iPhone, pressed the Pandora app, and music started blowing through the air. They held each other close, as they swayed until the playlist had run out of songs.

He sat her down on the sheets, and they began to kiss affectionately. "Sheldon, we're not supposed to be up here. People could um, see us."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Then we better make this good."

They each came twice- well Penny two and a half times- before surrendering to sleep. When they woke in the middle of the night, they were clinging to each other tightly, while buried in their own personal cocoon. They noticed the candles had melted, the wax becoming ugly blobs on the concrete.

Penny thought of some freaky things they could have done with that candle wax, but she settled for helping Sheldon get the area cleaned up and vacated before they got caught.

* * *

Their first big blowup came just over halfway through the honeymoon. Shockingly, it wasn't Sheldon that lost his patience first. Perhaps it was too much sun or maybe she was waterlogged, but Penny was already on edge.

They were laying in their bed kissing. He was caressing her cheek with the back of his hand and murmuring sweet words to her. She had had enough. "Blah blah blah. Can you just stop treating me like a china doll?"

He leaned back and frowned. "What?"

She sat up and scooted away from him. "This whole time, you've been treating me like I'm going to break or something. Can't you just…do something unexpected?"

He felt hurt, and he swallowed his shame. "I wasn't aware that you were disappointed in my performance."

"Ugh, this is about you, as always. Go ahead. Play the martyr."

"Penny, what do you want me to say? What do you want me to _do_?"

"I want you to lose control. Take me like you own me. Get a little rough. We're married! It's okay to get wild sometimes."

"Rough?! That's insane. Why would I ever want to do that?"

"Gee I dunno, you old stick-in-the-mud. Maybe, because it would be different? Dare I say fun?!"

"Just doing it with no gentility, no sensitivity, that's fun for you?" Sheldon's mood was turning from confusion to anger.

"Sometimes!"

"I see. So, our amorous activities haven't been about making love to your new husband. You just like a good…"

"Finish that sentence. I dare you," she interrupted. "I'll have annulment papers stapled to your forehead so fast…"

"What else am I supposed to think?"

"Maybe that I am trying to help you try new things?"

"Help me to turn our physical relationship into something meaningless? Well, you can forget that!"

She stood up. "You know I can see why you haven't proven string theory yet."

He rose up, narrowing his eyes and looking down on her. "Excuse me?"

"Maybe if you were more _aggressive_ with your research, you would have taken care of it years ago."

"My research has been perfectly adequate."

"Is that so? Well, I don't see a Nobel Prize in your office."

"That's low," he growled.

"And you're a hypocrite. You're a scientist. You are all about the pursuit of learning. Yet, when I try to teach you something new, you don't even try. It's all about what Sheldon wants when Sheldon wants it."

"You're right. Maybe you should go find someone else to give you a rough time. You can come crawling back to me when you actually want something meaningful."

She grabbed her purse and stormed toward the door.

"And where are you going?" he followed her.

"I'm going to see if they have any spare rooms, preferably as far away from _you_ as I can get."

He rolled his eyes as he watched the door slam.

* * *

Sheldon opened his laptop and placed a call request to Leonard via Skype. Ten minutes later, he saw his friend's face appear on the screen.

"Hey buddy!" Leonard waved. "How's Orlando?"

Sheldon looked down at his Weather Channel app on his phone. "75 and sunny."

"Nice. How's the honeymoon going?"

"Well, it was going quite well until Penny walked out on the me."

Leonard's eyes went wide. "What?! Oh, Sheldon, what did you do?"

"_I_ did nothing._ I_ have been patient, attentive, and a gentleman._ She_, however, went crazy."

"How so?"

"She seems to want to spice things up in the bedroom, and does not appreciate my gentle approach."

"Ahh," he replied with a knowing face.

"What should I do, Leonard?" the newly married man asked with genuine interest in his eyes.

"Look, I don't want to make this any more awkward than it has to be, but you and I both know I was with Penny at one point."

Sheldon nodded.

"Well, she likes it super-aggressive sometimes. That's what she likes."

"So, you are saying I am going to have to violate my wife to make her happy?" his mouth was agape.

The short man shook his head. "It's not _violating_ her. It's just…about losing control and getting into the moment. You're not raping her. You're not forcing her. You're just trying a different method to achieve ideal results."

"Well, that sir, is not going to happen."

"Sheldon, marriage, actually any relationship is about compromise. She wants you to try doing something a different way. You can't discount the validity without testing it yourself."

"Darn my scientific integrity."

"Just show her that you are willing to try. If it doesn't work, at least she'll know you gave it a chance, and then you can find out what works for you guys."

"I thought things were working just fine," he replied looking down at his lap.

Leonard could sense his friend's hurt, even through the computer screen.

"You like Thai right?"

"You know I do."

"And you like Chinese?"

"Yes."

"If you enjoy your Chinese meal, it doesn't mean you like Thai any less, right?"

"I suppose not."

"Sometimes you are in the mood for Thai. Sometimes you are in the mood for Chinese."

"It's not a mood. It's a carefully crafted schedule."

"You know where I am going with this. The Thai restaurant shouldn't be hurt that you enjoy other cuisines too. It doesn't mean you don't love their food, too."

"Point taken."

"Good luck. Work it out. Gotta go." The connection went black.

Sheldon exhaled and laid back on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. He heard the door open and saw blonde hair out of the corner of his eye.

"Gee, looks like they sold you an occupied room," he bit at her half-heartedly, as he sat up.

"I got down to the lobby, and the line was really long, so I walked around and blew off some steam. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

He shifted his eyes. "And I am sorry, too, for not being more receptive to your…constructive criticism."

"No, don't. I was unfair. I was being cranky. I couldn't dream up a better honeymoon with you if I tried."

She sat in his lap on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Do you want to pick up where we left off?"

"Actually, I had a better idea."

She looked at him quizzically.

"I was thinking we could head on over to the ESPN Club for dinner, maybe catch some Monday Night Football? On the way back, we could grab an ice cream cone…or a hot fudge sundae, whatever you want."

She smiled. "Ice cream cone! Then we can sit outside, cuddling and gazing at the stars and people will walk by and say 'Look at that cute couple. Don't they just make you sick?'"

Later, as the strolled hand in hand, with the wooden planks of the Boardwalk underneath their feet, their fight was all but forgotten.

* * *

Penny grinned down at the packet in her hand. She was glad they had sprung for the photo and video package. She had talked him into going to Discovery Cove and they actually swam with dolphins. He had yammered on and on about dolphins' intelligence, but she knew deep down, he found them as cute and lovable as she did.

She couldn't wait to show everyone the pictures. There was one of a dolphin named Maggie placing a sweet kiss against Sheldon's cheek. After one photo where he looked absolutely horrified, the camera caught him giving into a genuine smile.

They only had two nights left in Orlando, and then it was back to the real world. She wished that they could just spent the rest of their lives going from place to place. They could hit Oktoberfest in Germany. A couple of weeks exploring Paris and the French countryside sounded nice. And, she had always wanted to check out Broadway. But, she knew they had the rest of their lives together, and that would be enough.

Sheldon was in the shower, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a smile. She had nearly forgotten about that red lace number.

* * *

Sheldon happily hummed in the shower at the memories of the day, swimming with the mammalian creatures. He thought to himself that he and Penny might as well stop travelling now, because they would never be able to top this trip.

He thought it might be fun to surprise Penny with a walk over to Epcot and try out the teppanyaki style restaurant. He didn't much fancy eating with strangers, but he could just imagine her eyes lighting up as fire sparked in front of them as the chef expertly sliced, diced, and grilled his creations.

He stepped out of the shower and slipped a robe around himself. He was towel drying his hair as he walked out into the room, and he was stopped cold in his tracks. Penny was sitting on the bed in…well, he didn't know what it was. She was clad in only a red bra and red panties. Her breasts were practically popping out of the brassiere. She had applied fire engine red lipstick to her mouth and she was grinning seductively at him.

"Hey there."

His mind went everywhere and blank at the same time. In a flash, he was crawling on top of Penny. No words were spoken between them. In the room, there was only lust and need and a hint of cherry blossom perfume.

* * *

Penny cringed when she felt him bite down into her. He wasn't nipping or pecking. He was marking her. He bit down not once. Not twice. She stopped count after seven times. More than once, she knew he had drawn blood, as she felt liquid trickling from where he had bitten.

He quickly removed her very attractive lingerie set; he may have even ripped them for all she knew. He was not being careful. His robe was long gone on the floor and he hung above her.

As his mouth made his way to her nipples, she tensed in apprehension. He was not restraining his passion. As he sucked her right one, she felt his teeth lightly against her skin, and then she felt him suck harder and harder than ever before. When he would normally stop, he kept going sucking her swollen nipple. As he moved onto her left one, he repeated the procedure, only this time, she hissed in pain with each pull.

He reached down to see if she was wet enough for him. She saw this as a very tender gesture, despite the flashes of madness she saw in his eyes. Rather than ease gently, he pushed into her all in one motion. She let out a strangled cry at this. He began immediately to thrust into her. He held his hands along her upper arms to brace himself. When she sat up to try to flip them over, he squeezed her arms tightly, pinning her to the bed, and continued to pump into her.

Her arms were everywhere. She pawed at him, just trying to grasp onto anything to have something to hold onto. She started to wrap her legs around his body but he shoved her legs away sharply. He reached down and pushed her legs further apart, spreading them wide so that he could impale her body with his shaft.

He began to slow down, but she whispered up to him weakly, "Keep going, Sheldon." This gave him the encouragement he needed to drive into her harder.

She came first. Rather than the gasps and moans that she was used to, her face contorted, she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Then came a mixture of wheezing and sobbing, as she attempted to recover from her orgasm. He continued to slide his penis in and out of her, and a second wave came over her, then he came inside of her. Her throat felt constricted, as she swallowed down dry heaves.

Within minutes, he was asleep.

* * *

He opened his eyes and looked at the time. It was 6 am, and a small amount of light had crept through the window. He looked at the sleeping form next to him, and smiled at his wife, who had the covers drawn up to her neck.

He watched her sleep, and at one point, she let go of the blanket that she was clutching in her hands, straightening out her arms on top of her. He caught them immediately. On her arms were two very unmistakable bruises.

"Oh God," he choked out.

He was scared to death, but he tugged the covers down a little bit at a time. He was horrified to see bruises and bite marks all over her neck and collarbone area. There was even some scabbing.

"Oh God."

He kept going and saw a deep purple bruise on her right hip. Memories started to flash into his head from the night before.

"Oh, Penny, oh my God."

The last thing he saw were two wide welts along her inner thighs.

"Oh God," he wanted to cry, but he had no time. He ran toward the bathroom, and began to retch loudly into the toilet.

After vomiting, he sat in the bathroom and sobbed profusely. When he found the courage to return to the bedroom, Penny was sitting up, smiling serenely. He rushed to her side, knelt by her, and held her hand.

"Penny, I cannot apologize enough."

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I treated your body brutally. I was no better than a savage. I mean, look at your body. And, you were crying. Dear Lord!"

"Sheldon," she replied patiently. "Come up here." She instructed him to lay next to her in the bed, and he obeyed.

"It was a good cry. The experience was so intense, I was overwhelmed with emotions. And, I know you didn't mean to hurt me, and you didn't really. Yeah, I am sore now, but at the time, I was okay."

Sheldon still seemed uncertain.

"Is that something we should do every night or every week? Probably not. But, my body is as much yours as it is mine now, and I trust you. And, it's nice to know that underneath that hard shell, you have a burning lust for me. Besides, you got beat up pretty bad, too."

He looked at her inquisitively.

"You have scratches all up and down your back. You didn't know?"

In his concern for Penny, he hadn't even felt the pain. Now that she mentioned it, he could feel the sting. He reached behind him, and felt the breaks in his skin, and winced from even his own touch. "Oh my. Thanks a lot, Wolverine," he smiled down at her.

"As wonderful as it was, I probably won't be able to perform my _wifely duties_ for a few days. And, I probably need to stay in bed today. I feel pretty sore."

"Then, I shall stay and attend to you."

Penny's eyes got sleepy. "Bring me some lotion and I will _attend_ to your wounds first. Then, I will let _you_ attend to me by joining me in bed for a nap."

He really didn't deserve her.

* * *

Sheldon was outside picking out seats on the motor coach for the trip back to the airport. Penny was at the front desk checking out. Her mind started to drift off to sweet memories, as the staff member tapped away at her computer keyboard.

After a minute, the woman was trying to get her attention, snapping her fingers and waving her hand in front of her face.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Penny asked.

"I just explained that the balance will be on the Visa card you used to make your reservation, unless you would prefer to settle with other payment?"

"Nah, charge it."

"I trust that you enjoyed your stay with us, Mrs. Cooper?"

Penny smiled wide, as her official name rolled off the lady's tongue. "Dr. Cooper and I had a wonderful time. And you just made my day."


	22. Chapter 22

_Who doesn't own the Big Bang Theory? This gal!_

_I have a couple of short chapters left, more or less Epilogues._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_Eight years later_

Dr. Sheldon Cooper was concentrating. He wrung his hands, and then brought his hand up to rub his chin in contemplation. He narrowed his eyes with laser-like focus.

It was complete and utter chaos. The screens with random numbers displayed in red and orange lettering hanging against the wall. Pages and pages of information under clipboards; every so often someone would grab one and analyze the information. Measurements were being taken, and they were waiting to reach an exact, precise number.

People were moving all around him, but he blocked it all out. The movements became a blur, and he was able to dull the noise in his head, so that he would be able to give his undivided attention to the subject at hand.

* * *

He looked down upon his wife, and saw her red cheeks and drenched hair. He wanted to hold her hand and comfort her. However, after her last painful contraction, she screamed out, "Don't touch me!" so forcefully to him that he cowered at the end of the bed watching and waiting.

Dr. White and two of his nurses were attending to her. His queasiness around blood prevented him from watching the actual birthing process. Instead, he focused on Penny's eyes, those green eyes that had stolen his heart over the years too many times to count.

He heard the doctor encouraging Penny through one last push and her let something out that sounded like a cross between yelling and crying. She was physically spent, and if he had to crawl up there and yank that baby out himself, he would, to prevent her from having to endure any more.

* * *

As it turns out, he didn't have to. Moments later, everyone in the room held their collective breath, and exhaled in unison as they heard one of the most beautiful sounds in the world: soft crying, the sound of life emanating from a newborn baby.

"It's a boy!" Dr. White proclaimed, and Penny sobbed.

"A boy!" Sheldon was overjoyed.

The medical staff was still working on getting the baby cleaned up and taking vital signs when he heard a very small voice coming from the hallway. He closed his eye and sighed.

He peeked his head out the door to see a small child walking down the hallway. For the third time that afternoon, she had wandered into the hallway, not looking for anything particular, just knowing that all she had to do was shout, "Daddy? Daddy?" and the object of her desire would appear.

Adelaide Marleen Cooper was truly the apple of her daddy's eye.

* * *

He quickly escaped into the hallway and walked up to his daughter. The four-year-old had captured his heart from her first breath. She looked up at him with her bright blue eyes and soft chestnut hair in pigtails, Cooper genes through and through. But, her free spirit and certain disregard for propriety and boundaries was unquestionably her mother.

He knelt down, and pulled her up onto his knee. "Addy, why don't you stay out there and play with Toby?"

She scrunched up her cute nose. "Toby won't play with me 'cause I'm a _girl_."

He softly laughed. "Well, I'm sorry Dumpling, but you can't be back here right now. You need to stay in the waiting area."

"With Howie and Bernie?"

"Yes, with Howie and Bernie. _And_ Toby." he agreed. He leaned close to her face and his voice lowered to a whisper. "And, just a secret between you and me. He'll outgrow that one of these days."

Just then, a very rotund looking Bernadette waddled up to them. "Sorry, Sheldon! Howard went to get me some tea, and I turned my head for just a minute, and she was off." She motioned down sadly. "And, I can't exactly move as quickly as I normally do."

"That's okay," he stood, handing off Addy to the expectant mother. "She and I have an understanding now. Right, Adelaide?"

"Yes, Daddy. Bernie, why won't Toby play with me?"

"I don't know, dear. Let's see if we can find something…" They, and their voices, disappeared back down the hallway.

* * *

He made it back to the room, ready to hold his newborn son, but he saw that the doctor was still in the room, and his son had been removed. Worry came over him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Okay, Mrs. Cooper," Dr. White coaxed. "Are you ready for the next one?"

"Next one?!" his eyes went wide. "Next _what_?"

Penny caught his eye and breathed out "Twins."

* * *

He watched the twins through the glass as their eyes fluttered open and shut. Penny was resting, and he had taken the time to get everyone informed.

Howard and Bernadette were thrilled. They had called Raj, who was still living in Pasadena, but was serving on jury duty that day. Sheldon was amused, wondering which was worse: the idea that Raj would have to show up to jury duty sloshed in order to even be able to participate or that he would go sober and be essentially useless.

After calling his mom and her parents, he called his former roommate. Five years earlier, Leonard had accepted a position at Duke University as a professor in physics. He had never been happier. He had recently started seeing a very accomplished graduate assistant named Janice who had written her thesis on string theory through the mind of modern American physicists, most notably Dr. Sheldon Cooper, versus their international counterparts. The East Coast had treated him well. He had stepped out on his own and made a place for himself in the world. Before he moved, Penny had bought a frame that hung in his office at Duke: The Serenity Prayer.

_God grant me the serenity  
to accept the things I cannot change;  
courage to change the things I can;  
and wisdom to know the difference._

It seemed to apply rather fittingly to Leonard, and for the first time in probably his entire adult life, he embraced his life, work, and idiosyncrasies fully. They missed him every day.

Amy and Phil had run off to Vegas to get married not long after Sheldon and Penny's wedding. As it turns out, Phil was an internet billionaire. He had made amazing money investing in an up-and-coming dot-com business, and had continued to manage his money through stocks and retirement accounts ever since. This all happened before he met Amy. He had actually worked at the hospital as an orderly as a volunteer. He had been so happy that Amy was interested in him before she knew he had money. And she had finally found someone to spoil her senseless. They spent about one-third of the year in California, and the rest travelling around. She saw each new location as a scientific adventure, monitoring life forms and dissecting (already-deceased) animals to learn about the biologic conditions of every place they visited. She e-mailed Sheldon weekly with her findings. And, he emailed her back with his contributions as well.

She e-mailed Penny, too. There were photos and reports of all the new places they had been. And, Sheldon was pretty sure there was some private girl talk as well, but Penny never offered, and he never asked.

Missy never married Skeeter. He devoted his life to his bike shop, and they parted amicably after dating for about a year. A couple of years ago, she had given birth to a baby boy that she named Remy. To her mother's dismay, she had claimed to not know who the father was. But, Sheldon noted the baby's darker skin tone and very un-Cooper chocolate brown eyes. He had also noticed that when Missy frequently visited, she always had somewhere to stay, and she never hurt for money. There was also the fact that his Indian friend had gone on an unusual number of business trips, and that tone in Missy's voice every time she tried to casually ask, "So, how's Rajesh?"

MeeMaw was still kicking, and still unsuccessfully trying to find George, Jr. a nice girl to settle down with.

Then, there was Penny. When her contract had expired, she left her TV show. The kids she had gotten to know were going off to college, and they were going to introduce a new group of teens. It had felt like the right time to move on. Through her contacts, she had landed a job with the Echo Theater Company. It had provided her regular and fulfilling work, and gave her a chance to flex her acting muscles. The stage loved her.

They had enjoyed married life, until one day, their world came crashing down when they received a phone call that her brother Brent was dead. He had never recovered from his drug addiction.

She had returned home to comfort her grieving parents. While there, she too had fallen into a deep depression. Sheldon had visited when he could, but she just grew more distant with each passing day. She had insisted she needed space from him, but it was really a defense mechanism, as she didn't want to lose anyone else she loved. From the outside, it looked like marital problems.

When she had found out she was pregnant with Addy, she realized how much she wished she was in Pasadena so that she could tell him and they could celebrate their joy together. And, she was finally able to snap out of it.

They had decided not to find out the sex of the second child, so they could be surprised.

And, boy were they.

* * *

He was sitting by her bed when she opened her eyes.

"My husband," she sighed. "The overachiever."

"My wife," he stood and kissed her on the forehead. "The warrior. Nice job, Penny."

"I'm glad you approve."

"It _is_ rather odd."

"What is?"

"Twins. Typically the genetic link between multiples skips a generation. My sister and I are twins. Theoretically, it would be our kids that would have twins."

Penny giggled.

"Something amusing?"

"It _did_ skip a generation."

"Dear, I know that even when your brain isn't fuzzy, your math skills leave something to be desired, but…"

"No, dummy. Remember my Aunt Carolyn that you met at our wedding and at," she paused, "the funeral? My mom's sister?"

"Yes?"

"Well, she and my mom are…"

"Twins!" Sheldon finished her sentence. "I don't seem to recall a resemblance at all."

"Well, they had different lives. Aunt Carolyn never got married or had any kids and moved to the city when she was young. She taught yoga and meditation and veganism and all that kind of stuff. Plus, they aren't identical."

Sheldon paused. "Not identical? Penny, when you met Missy, you seemed confused as to how we could be twins. You indicated we looked nothing alike?"

Penny smiled. "Sweetie, I was egging you on. I knew the difference between identical and fraternal. I just wanted to see you get worked up."

He shook his head at her, but deep down, knew that the early sparks and banter between them was more valuable than any number of dates they could have embarked on.

* * *

"I had a thought."

"Okay?" she asked.

"Perhaps, we could each choose a first name and each choose a middle name for the boys rather than try to come up with two complete names between us."

"That seems fair."

"As a gentleman, I will defer to you for first choice."

"I like the first name Daniel."

"Hebrew in origin, sent into the lion's den. Very solid choice."

"And what will little Daniel's middle name be?"

Sheldon had an immediate thought. It was common to honor one's father with a part a child's name. What if Penny wanted to have the other one's middle name as Wyatt? He didn't want to name Daniel after his father. But, his mother would be beyond inconsolable to find out they named a baby after her father but not his own. His face began to twitch.

"Sweetie, calm down. What's wrong?"

"Penny, can you tell me your choice for the middle name now, please?"

She shook her head. "Nope, it's a surprise."

"It's important. I just thought…if you are considering your father's name, then I should probably consider mine, even though I prefer not to and…"

"It's not Wyatt."

He exhaled. "Then I choose Alexander. There have been many great Alexanders. Hamilton, Fleming, Graham Bell, and well, the Great."

"Daniel Alexander. I like it."

"Yes."

"Your turn."

"Well, I would like to use the name of someone I've long admired. It's a bit different, but I hope you grow to like it. What do you think of the name Newton? After Sir Isaac?"

"Newton."

"Yes, we could call him Newt. Or Newton."

"Or Fig. Like the town in Massachusetts," she grinned.

"Penny, please," he chided her.

"No, I like Newton. I really do. It represents an important part of your life."

"Okay and?"

"His middle name will be Fig."

_"Penny,"_ he said impatiently.

She swallowed, and her voice started out shaky. "I've given a lot of thought to this, if I ever had a boy. I learned from this person the all-consuming power of love. To never judge a book by its cover. That no matter how uncaring someone seems, _everyone_ has a capacity for love. That while differences aren't always easy, it is important for us to be challenged everyday."

"It sounds like I owe a debt of gratitude to this person."

"He also taught me that no matter how proper someone acts and fancy they talk," she looked at him pointedly, "underneath it all, we all still want the same basic things from life. Companionship and love."

She reached out to hold his hand.

"I'd like to, I mean if it's okay with you, I'd like his middle name to be Sarek."

Sheldon's eyes went wide and a lump formed in his throat. He nodded heartily.

"How did I get so lucky?" he asked.

"I don't believe in luck," she squeezed his hand gently.


	23. Small Note

_I do not own the Big Bang Theory. Um, duh._

* * *

Hey guys! Just one more chapter to go, which I am hoping to have to you within the next couple of days. In the meantime, I just wanted to type up a little blurb in regards to the previous chapter.

What I wanted to do was to give you all just a little hint of the future for all these characters, that way you as the reader could formulate your own hypothesis on how you think things end up. How many kids do Howard and Bernadette have? Does Leonard get with his new flame or is he destined to be a bachelor for life? And so on and so forth. I think part of the fun is when we as readers get to fill in our own gaps in stories.

That said, I have gotten a lot of feedback, both in the form of reviews and private messages, specifically regarding the relationship between Raj and Missy and Remy. I am still going to leave some loose ends for you guys to tie up in your own minds, but I would like to take this time to shed some insight onto the whole situation for you guys, because that's the kind of generous gal I am.

I guess the first place we have to start is how Remy was conceived. Do Raj and Missy care for each other? Was it simply one night of torrid passion? That, you will have to decide for yourselves. But, how you interpret the conception to take place will affect how you think their relationship should progress.

Even_ if_ Remy is the result of a union rooted in love, there are still a number of obstacles that would have to be addressed before they would ever be ready to take the next step. Raj lives in California; Missy seems perfectly happy in Texas, where she is close to her family. That is quite a distance to navigate. Also, we see that Raj still suffers from his mutism. I think it is safe to say until he gets a grasp on being able to converse with women without having to drink, he is just not ready to settle down yet.

Another really big obstacle deals with the parents: now, yes, Mary Cooper probably detests that the baby was conceived out of wedlock and the fact that Missy (supposedly) doesn't know who the father is, indicating promiscuity, is not good either. But, I am sure we can agree she is a loving woman, and would love and dote on her grandchild as much as any grandparent ever has. Raj's parents are another thing entirely. In Raj's mind, and it may be true, if they were to find out he had a child with, or worse_ loves_, a white girl, they very well may cut him off. He may think he is better off staying apart but being able to provide for his child and its mother with his wealth. Perhaps, this may even lead to some sort of situation down the road where his parents realize and convey to him that they would love _any_ grandchild of theirs.

Perhaps, it may lead to a nice moment between Howard and Raj with Howard encouraging Raj to be present in the child's life.

I will assure you this. Even_ if_ Missy and Raj are not destined to end up together, Remy will absolutely know his father. Ideally, of course, Raj would be there every step of the way. That said, maybe Missy will meet a really great guy who will raise him as if he were his own. Or maybe Remy will be lucky to be raised by three amazing Cooper women. But, as Remy grows, he would understand that he is not loved any less. It is just a matter of logistics, and his father lives out of state. Raj will visit as often as possible. Phone and email and Skype. And, perhaps Remy will visit California on school breaks and summer vacation, etc etc. It wouldn't be ideal, but they would make it work as well as can be expected.

Or maybe they will fall in love and get married and one will have to bite the bullet and leave their comfort zone.

And that's all you'll get for now. :)


	24. Chapter 23

_The epic conclusion of the greatest series of our time, The Big Bang Theory, brought to you by...well, not me._

* * *

_Five years later_

Penny looked down at her husband with tears in her eyes. He looked so small, so weak.

He was sitting up in his bed, sipping on some ice water.

"I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, as she rubbed her round belly idly.

"You can. It will be hard, but I know you can. I'm asking you to."

"It's so unfair," she held back the anger in her voice.

"It is what it is."

"It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do, to not be here," her voice cracked. "You have to be strong for me, okay?"

"Of course."

"Getting tired?"

Sheldon nodded in response.

She leaned down and kissed his lips, then his forehead, before she pulled away.

"Tell Amy and Phil I apologize for not being able to visit with them," he said.

"They'll understand."

His eyes locked onto hers, as if willing her to stay. "You need to go."

"Yeah."

"You'll need to leave for the airport within the hour."

"Well, actually, everything is organized and packed and ready to go. My husband seems to have rubbed off on me over the years."

"Smart guy," he joked.

"I just need to get home to get my bags, drop the kids off with George and Amber, then head over to your mom's house. The car is going to come get us around three."

"_Around_ three or…"

"_Exactly_ at three, you insufferable dolt."

"Had to get one last insult in there, didn't you?"

"Your brother and sister-in-law deserve sainthood for what they are going to do this week. Our four kids, plus Remy and Nadia, on top of their own?"

"Meemaw will be staying with them for the week, so they'll have help. The older ones will be at school much of the day. And, Adelaide should be able to entertain the young ones. But, yes, they are being quite considerate."

"We'll have to do something nice for them when…we can."

He nodded in agreement. "You need to go."

"Okay," she squeezed his hand then blew him a kiss as she walked out the door.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Penny stepped from the hospital, the sun shining brightly in her eyes, as she blinked back the tears she had been holding onto for far too long.

She had a long journey ahead of her, both literally and figuratively. She resolved to take things one day at a time, one hour at a time. That was the only way she was going to be able to get through this.

She intended to be the kind of wife Sheldon would be proud to have. She would be resourceful and strong and stoic. Her children would never see her shed a tear or lose her temper. They would see her pray and know she meant it.

For now, all she concentrated on was getting home, getting the kids taken care of, then making sure that she and her three companions got to George Bush Intercontinental on time.

* * *

Howard and Bernadette sat in their pajamas in the living room of his childhood home. He had connected his laptop to their flat screen television, and they were waiting for the live feed to show up.

They had inherited the home from his mother and were grateful; having a family home to raise their kids in was a treasure, not one easy to come by in the expensive housing market of Southern California. The home felt empty without her, but by the same token, it felt lighter too. The home before had always been a dark reminder of not so great memories. They were able to make this place their home, and establish happy moments for themselves and their kids.

Howard missed his mother, but knew that she was very happily re-married to his former dentist, Dr. Schneider, and enjoying retirement (for him) in Palm Springs.

Bernadette shushed her husband as he spoke a little too loudly. "Quiet, if the kids wake up, it will take them forever to get back to sleep."

"Yes dear," he rolled his eyes.

Their eldest Toby wandered into the living room, yawning into his fist. He was the only one they decided to allow to watch with them. After all, they _were_ his godparents.

"How much longer?" he asked.

"Probably about ten minutes," Howard replied.

The three of them sat there, eyes glued to the TV set.

* * *

Several hundred miles away, a weary physicist sat up in his room. The nurse placed his laptop on the tray table, and he was able to turn it on and get the live feed up and running.

The nurse checked his vitals, and before leaving the room spoke. "Dr. Cooper, your wife, she is a lovely woman."

He chuckled. "I suppose."

Penny had blossomed into an extraordinary woman indeed. While in the privacy of their own relationship she still had that attitude and spunk that would never be gone, she was also classy and gracious. She took extra care to be kind to everyone she knew; being a server for many years, she was especially caring toward people in service positions. She was generous with her money, but more importantly, her time. The school moms were constantly calling Penny for help with one thing or another, from organizing a bake sale to helping design soccer uniforms. She went overboard decorating their home for every holiday. She had given him five beautiful children, with another on the way. She instilled in their kids the importance of valuing their belongings. And manners. And recycling.

She took them to church. Every Sunday.

* * *

Most weekends, he went with them

* * *

On the screen, he saw the ceremony space, and knew that things were about to get started.

Penny sat on the stage with one of her oldest friends by her side. She looked across the way and saw the Royal Family decked out in their gorgeous gowns. Inwardly, she scowled, as she had been informed she was required to wear black or very dark blue. Feeling rebellious, she was half-tempted to wear a stunning red number to shake things up.

She looked out into the crowd, and smiled when she saw everyone in the fourth row: Mary, Missy, Mr. and Mrs. Koothrappali. She also knew that Amy and Phil, who were traveling in Europe at the time, had secured seats somewhere in the auditorium, thanks to his influence.

Then, the moment came, when the winners were announced for the Nobel Prize in physics. Penny and Raj stood, walked across the stage, and accepted the honors. They both stood at the podium, and Raj motioned for her to go first.

She took a deep breath and spoke. "Your Majesty, esteemed members of the Nobel committee, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Penny Cooper and I don't know a lick about science." She gestured next to her. "This is my good friend Rajesh Ramayan Koothrappali, and he is being recognized along with my husband Sheldon, er, Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper for their collaboration toward the breakthrough that earned them this special award. It is my honor to introduce Rajesh, as he is a brilliant man who has worked very hard to achieve this moment. But, I am also here to accept this award on behalf of my husband."

She licked her lips and thought to herself. She had prepared her speech, and in such, she had inserted one line that she was sure would stir it up, especially in this crowd. Up until this very moment, she hadn't decided whether she would include it or not. She smiled as she continued.

"On behalf of my husband, I would like to thank God for this special day and for the opportunities He has given us that led to this remarkable achievement." Her tone then got much more conversational. "Also, thank _you_ for this prestigious honor. You know, it's funny. I always thought if I were to be up on stage accepting an award, it would be an Emmy or an Oscar. I never, ever dreamed I would be on stage accepting a Nobel Prize. Actually, I didn't even know you guys _had_ ceremonies for these kinds of things. But, my husband did. He dreamed about this moment from the time he was a child, and he has worked to make it a reality his entire life. He has worked so hard for this moment. He should be here."

Her emotions got the better of her, and she softly cried as she spoke directly to him. "Honey,_ you_ should be here. Why aren't you here?"

She inhaled and visibly gathered herself. "You see, two weeks ago, our son Liam was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer." She knew if Sheldon were here, he'd be able to name and pronounce the exact type correctly. "He needed immediate treatments, and his best hope was with bone marrow. And, my husband was a perfect match. And, it was a little too late to call and see if you guys could postpone the Nobel Prize," she joked and the auditorium echoed with soft laughter. "So, here I am. Being a bone marrow donor is not easy. Watching your son, so little and so precious, go through such a scary disease is worse. And my husband, your co-Nobel Laureate for the prize in physics, has to do both. Sheldon, Dr. Cooper that is, always said that to win the Nobel Prize was the goal, that if he was able to do that, it would be his greatest achievement. Then, he said_ I_ was his greatest achievement."

She was shocked to hear whistles and catcalls from the seemingly stodgy audience at that last statement. She blushed a slight pink. "He's wrong about both. His greatest achievement is that he is_ there_ lying in a hospital bed and not standing right _here_ on this stage, and he did so without even one second of hesitation. So, with that, I will hand it over to Dr. Rajesh Koothrapalli."

She stepped away, and not able to control herself, spoke into the microphone again. "By the way, if there is any way you guys could make an exception and let him give an acceptance speech next year, I would really appreciate it. Thanks. Okay bye."

* * *

As Raj stepped to the mike, Sheldon tuned out and thought of his magnificent wife. Her speech had a bit of a devil-may-care spin to it that he knew from her all too well.

She had been perfect. She was folksy and charming, and he could tell that she had the audience, the Nobel committee members and winners, _and_ the Royal Family of Sweden eating out of the palm of her hand. She was engaging in a way that he never would have been able to pull off. His speech, unless he fainted halfway through it, would have been quickly forgotten. No one in that auditorium or watching worldwide will ever forget that courageous woman with the genuine smile and the gentle eyes.

He didn't need a speech next year. He wasn't that crazy about public speaking anyway. It was always about the achievement itself, and he had already won that. He would always be referred to as Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Nobel Laureate. He didn't need an official presentation for that. And, truthfully, his lasting mark on the Nobel Prize would be, _should_ be the brave speech given by this simple girl from Nebraska.

Standing in a room full of the most brilliant minds in the world, she stood toe to toe with them. In a hall full of literature afficianados and science geeks alike, she was the most real one in the room. She was _always_ the most real one in the room.

"Nicely done, Penny." He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

_Fin._

* * *

**_Thanks for coming on this long crazy journey with me guys. I really appreciate all your messages and feedback and views and everything._**

**_I will be soon starting on a new Shenny story called Doomed to Fail, that I would love for you guys to get in on. It will be very, very different. It is set AU. It has some dark themes to it, much different than this one which was relatively puritanical. (Hey, it may have been smut, but I maintain that it was married smut)_**

**_For some, it may not be their cup of tea, and that's understandable, but just wanted to invite you on a different adventure all the same. _**


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